| NBA Basketball | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoreboard | | | Postseason | | | Stats | | | Standings | | | Teams | | | Players | | | Player News | | | Injuries | | | Transactions | | | Home |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Warriors-Magic Preview
Golden State Warriors at Orlando Magic
- Orlando has won seven of the last eight games in this series, including a 102-94 road victory on December 3. That game was tied 69-69 entering the fourth quarter, but the Magic outscored the Warriors 33 to 25 in the final period. Three Orlando players (Glen Davis, Arron Afflalo, J.J. Redick) had 22+ points in that contest.
- Golden State is 5-0 on its current road trip. That last time the Warriors won their first five games of a road trip was when they won every game of a five-game trip, October 29-November 4, 1978.
- The Magic have lost three of their last four games, scoring 81, 82 and 80 points in the losses (they had 98 points in the one win). They are 0-11 this season when held below 90 points, compared to 8-2 when scoring 90 or more.
- David Lee has five straight games with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds, which is tied with Antawn Jamison for the second-longest such streak by any Warrior since 1985-86 (Joe Smith has the longest -- 7 games).
- Klay Thompson is averaging 20.0 points per game on 56.1 percent shooting, including 20-for-42 (.476) from three-point range.
- Arron Afflalo is averaging 17.7 points per game on 48.6 percent shooting against Western Conference teams this season, compared to 14.9 ppg on 41.5 percent shooting versus teams in his own conference.
By ALAN FERGUSON
(AP) -- The Golden State Warriors would appear to have a good chance to pull off an unprecedented feat when they visit the struggling Orlando Magic.
They couldn't get past the Magic at home earlier this month, however.
The Warriors try to avenge their latest defeat and end their recent woes in the series as they go for a 6-0 start on their seven-game road trip Friday night.
Golden State (15-7) has never won the first six games of any road trip but is in position to accomplish that after edging Miami 97-95 on Wednesday. Rookie forward Draymond Green made a go-ahead layup with 0.9 seconds left in that win and Klay Thompson matched a season high with 27 points.
David Lee scored 22 and Jarrett Jack added 20 to make up for a subpar night from Stephen Curry, who was held to nine points after scoring at least 20 in eight straight games.
"We're on fire right now," Thompson said. "We're going to continue building on this. This is a special win. We haven't played the best competition the last few games but with the Miami Heat, we're showing people we're going to bring it every night. We have a chance to be special."
The Warriors also have a chance to match their 16-7 start from 1991-92 and improve to 7-1 in December, their best opening to the month since winning 10 of their first 11 in 1975-76.
In the next-to-last stop on its longest road trip of the season, Golden State will face a Magic team that's averaged 85.3 points during a 1-3 stretch and has dropped four in a row at home, its longest such losing streak in five seasons. Orlando shot 38.3 percent and scored 34 points in the first half in its latest defeat, 86-80 to visiting Atlanta on Wednesday.
With 16 points, Arron Afflalo was the only player to score more than 13.
"The way we start the game has to be with more energy. One of us, next game, will take it upon ourselves to make sure that it happens," Afflalo said.
Orlando (8-13) had few problems with its energy at Golden State on Dec. 3, scoring 28 in the opening quarter and had 51 points at the half. Afflalo and Glen Davis each had 24 points in that 102-94 victory and J.J. Redick scored 10 of his 22 in the fourth quarter.
The Magic have won seven of eight in the series - with the lone loss coming in overtime on March 11, 2011 - and three straight home matchups. Orlando will try to add to that streak while avoiding its first five-game skid on its floor since dropping seven in a row March 13-April 10, 2004.
Golden State, meanwhile, is seeking its first six-game road win streak since March 12-April 6, 2005.
Curry will try to help by recording his third consecutive double-double against the Magic. He had a team-best 25 points and 11 assists in the loss earlier this month.
David Lee scored 22 points in that game, and is averaging a team-leading 24.2 points and 13.4 rebounds during the trip. The former University of Florida standout has topped 20 points in each of his last two games against the Magic but is averaging 10.1 in eight career games in Orlando, his worst showing in any opponent's building.
Updated December 13, 2012
© 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
