Here is what you need to know before the Lakers pay a visit to the defending-champion Golden State Warriors.
1) The Lakers are looking to build off their first fourth-quarter comeback of the season. Despite shooting just 36.8 percent against New Orleans on Tuesday, Los Angeles pulled out a 95-91 win thanks to last-minute shots from Lou Williams and Julius Randle.
2) Although the Lakers won, they left the game more hobbled than when they entered. Kobe Bryant is questionable for Thursday due to a sore right shoulder and right Achilles strain, while Brandon Bass is doubtful because of a sore right foot.
3) Golden State has a familiar face in its front office, as executive Jerry West is also one of the greatest Lakers in franchise history. The Hall of Famer made the All-Star Game in all 14 of his NBA seasons and ranks second in career scoring as a Laker, behind Bryant.
4) The Warriors have topped the Lakers in seven of their last eight meetings, including on Jan. 5 at Staples Center. In that matchup nine days ago, Golden State held L.A. to a season-low 31.9 percent shooting from the field.
5) The Warriors are led by the current frontrunner for Most Valuable Player and scoring champion, Stephen Curry. The reigning MVP is putting up 29.8 points per game, while also knocking down 4.6 3-pointers, which is on pace to shatter his own record set last year (3.6).
6) Curry has been especially hot lately, scoring more than 30 points in three straight games. During this surge, he is averaging 35.7 points on 49.3 percent shooting with 5.7 triples.
7) The Warriors could be without Draymond Green, who sat out last game to rest a tweaked ankle. He leads the NBA in triple-doubles with eight, but might be even more impressive defensively. When guarded by Green, opponents shoot just 38.6 percent — a drop-off of 6.6 percent from their season average, which is the second-best defensive difference in the league.
8) If Green does not play, the Warriors will likely turn to Klay Thompson for some offense. However, he is averaging 16.3 points in his last three contests after exploding for 33.2 across his five games before that.
Klay Thompson (38 points, 7 rebounds) & James Harden (30 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) duel in @Warriors 30th W https://t.co/09Y69gstKT
9) The Warriors fell for just the third time this season on Wednesday at Denver, 112-110. However, their 36-3 record is still tied for the best start in league history with the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, 1971-72 Lakers and 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers — all of whom won the title.
10) The Warriors have been striking from downtown at a historic rate. Their 12.7 3-pointers per game are set to crush Houston’s record from last season, while their 42.5 percent clip on triples is on pace for second behind only the 1996-97 Charlotte Hornets (42.8).
