Portland Trail Blazers vs Golden State Warriors Full Game Highlights Game 2 2017 NBA Playoffs
Photo: Alex Gallardo, Associated Press
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, right, and forward Andre Iguodala, left, walk off the court after the Los Angeles Lakers won 117-97 in an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Friday, Nov. 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) less Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, right, and forward Andre Iguodala, left, walk off the court after the Los Angeles Lakers won 117-97 in an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Friday, Nov. 4, 2016. ... more Photo: Alex Gallardo, Associated PressWarriors game day: Can Golden State stay healthy in no-stakes finale?
Warriors vs. Lakers
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland
Coaches: Steve Kerr, 3rd season with Warriors (206-39 with Warriors and overall); Luke Walton, 1st season with Lakers (26-55 with Lakers and overall)
On air: TV on NBC Sports Bay Area Plus; Radio on 95.7 The Game
Records: Warriors (66-15); Lakers (26-55)
Projected starters: Warriors: PG Stephen Curry (25.4 ppg, 6.6 apg), SG Klay Thompson (22.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg), SF Kevin Durant (25.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg), PF James Michael McAdoo (2.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg), C Zaza Pachulia (6.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Lakers: PG Jordan Clarkson (14.7 ppg, 2.6 apg), SG David Nwaba (6.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg), SF Brandon Ingram (9.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg), PF Larry Nance, Jr. (7.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg), C Julius Randle (13.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg)
Warriors injury report: SF Matt Barnes (right ankle sprain), SF Kevon Looney (left hip strain), PF Draymond Green (rest) and SF Andre Iguodala (rest) are out.
Lakers injury report: SF Brandon Ingram (right patellar tendinitis) is probable. PG DAngelo Russell (personal reasons) and C Ivica Zubac (high right ankle sprain) are out.
Betting line: Warriors by 14 points
Things to watch:
>> Will the Warriors stay healthy? Avoiding injury, not winning the game, will be Golden States primary objective Wednesday. Because the Warriors have clinched the top overall seed, they simply want to get through their regular-season finale with no major hiccups. It is part of the reason head coach Steve Kerr is sitting Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green. Odds are that, outside of perhaps Kevin Durant, Golden States available starters wont play more than 25 minutes.
>> Will Durant continue to settle into a groove? In his second game back from his knee injury Monday against the Jazz, Durant looked more self-assured. He hit 6 of his 12 shots, including two driving dunks in the second half, and chipped in 10 rebounds and six assists. In a game Wednesday with no playoff implications, Durant will likely shoulder a heavy load again after logging a team-high in minutes each of the past two outings. His hope is to break out of his slump beyond the arc before the playoffs start. Against the Pelicans and Jazz, Durant went a combined 0-for-9 from three-point range.
>> Will Damian Jones get some run? Less than 24 hours after the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden States Development League affiliate, were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Blue, Jones was recalled Tuesday to the NBA club. The rookie center out of Vanderbilt has made significant strides of late, cutting down on fouls, improving his conditioning and, ultimately, earning D-League Player of the Month honors for March and April. Though Jones wont make much of a difference in Golden States championship pursuit, he will only benefit from being available for a playoff run. As for Wednesday? He could get his most extended NBA minutes yet. In a no-stakes game, Kerr will give his reserves plenty of opportunity.
Quotable: I think mentally were in a good space. We just have to be willing to get to that next gear defensively, let our defense power us through. David West on Warriors mindset as playoffs near
Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com . Twitter: @Con_Chron
Source: http://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Warriors-game-day-Can-Golden-State-stay-healthy-11067531.php
