Game Preview: Warriors vs. Spurs - 1/20/21

BACK TO THE BAY
After splitting a two-game road trip 1-1 over MLK Day Weekend, the Warriors will play six of their next eight games at home, beginning Wednesday night against San Antonio. The first Warriors-Spurs matchup of the season will also mark the highly anticipated on-court debut of the Warriors’ “Oakland Forever” City Edition uniform. Accompanied by a custom court at Chase Center and apparel collaboration with Oakland fashion brand Oaklandish, “Oakland Forever” pays homage to the town the Warriors called home for 47 seasons and is a part of the franchise’s DNA.

LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors trailed defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers from the opening tip, but the team scratched and clawed their way back in the second half and erased a 17-point third quarter deficit to pick up a 115-113 in Los Angeles on MLK Day » Full Game Recap

PROBABLE STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Kelly Oubre Jr., Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and James Wiseman

SAS: DeMar DeRozan, Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Keldon Johnson, and LaMarcus Aldridge

INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Alen Smailagic (right knee arthroscopy), Marquese Chriss (right ankle injury) and Klay Thompson (right Achilles rehab) are out. Team Notes

SAS: Quinndary Weatherspoon (left knee surgery) and Derrick White (left toe fracture) are out. Team Notes

DUBS’ DOUBLE-DIGIT COMEBACKS
The Dubs are not going down without a fight, recently overcoming a 19-point deficit to defeat the Lakers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The comeback victory marked the Warriors’ second-biggest comeback of the season, behind only a 22-point comeback on January 8 against the Clippers. So far this season, four of the Warriors' seven victories have been of the comeback variety, all of which have been made possible with collective contributions across the roster. In Monday’s victory, the play of the Warriors’ bench was instrumental in the comeback, as all six Warriors reserves in that game earned a positive point-differential. The team’s overall production from their reserve unit has been one of the biggest improvements for the Warriors this season, and one they’ll lean on further as the grind of the season continues.

SAN ANTONIO SCOUTING REPORT
The San Antonio Spurs entered the 2020-21 season with both a budding young core and a quartet of seasoned veterans in DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, and Rudy Gay. DeRozan is leading the Spurs with 20.7 point per game, shooting 47 percent from the field and recording 20-plus points in seven games. The Spurs guard is also ranked 10th in the league in assists. San Antonio big man LaMarcus Aldridge continues to have an impactful presence on the Spurs’ squad, with the team going 7-3 with Aldridge in the lineup. Aldridge is entering his 15th year in the league, averaging 14.4 points this season. With that being said, young talent such as 21-year-old sophomore forward Keldon Johnson is showing signs of his growing abilities, recently carving out a spot in the Spurs starting lineup. The Spurs are riding a two-game win streak and currently hold an 8-6 record as they continue to find their rhythm.