Golden State Warriors bring their four-game home run to an end when they go head to head with the Orlando Magic at the Chase Center on Monday night.
The Magic, who lost each of the two meetings between the sides last year, will journey to San Francisco looking to get one over the home side and snap their run of six back-to-back road defeats.
Match preview
The Golden State Warriors were sent back down to earth in their surge into the playoff qualifying places as they fell 130-105 against the Phoenix Suns at the Chase Center on Saturday.
With Stephen Curry having another cold shooting display, making five of his 14 attempts from the field, Devin Booker dropped 31 to go with 11 assists as the Suns eased to their fourth win in five matches.
Andrew Wiggins and Moses Moody led the Warriors in points scored with 17 apiece, while six Suns players finished with double digits, including Kevin Durant's 19 and Bradley Beal, who knocked down 21 points on an efficient 75% FG.
Before Monday's defeat, the Golden State Warriors picked up two consecutive victories for the third time since the turn of the year, beating the Utah Jazz 114-103 on January 29, 24 hours before claiming a hard-fought 116-109 win over conference leaders Oklahoma City Thunder.
Steve Kerr's men currently hold a 0.5 winning percentage this season with a 24-24 record from their 48 matches to sit 11th in the Western Conference standings, just below 10th-placed Sacramento Kings in the final play-in places.
Over in the East, the Orlando Magic were condemned to a sixth consecutive defeat on the road on Friday night when they fell 113-99 against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center.
With the Magic's only lead coming from the opening basket, when Franz Wagner knocked down a 3-pointer, Utah turned in a dominant display on home court to snap their eight-game losing streak.
While Collin Sexton tallied 22 points to lead the Jazz, Wagner and Cole Anthony dropped 60% of Orlando's points on the night as they combined for 60 points and got little or no help from the rest of the Magic players, who all finished with single digits.
Jamahi Mosley's men have now lost eight of their most recent nine outings, with their only win in that time coming on January 26, when they brushed aside the Detroit Pistons 121-113 at the Kia Center.
A run of just two wins in their last 12 games has seen the Orlando Magic slump to a 24-26 record for the season and drop into eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, three defeats more than sixth-placed Miami Heat in the final automatic playoff spot, having played three more matches.
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Team News
The Golden State Warriors remain without the services of 22-year-old Jonathan Kuminga, who has been out of action since sustaining an ankle injury against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 5.
Veteran forward Draymond Green has also missed each of the last 19 matches through a calf problem, with the 34-year-old expected to be re-evaluated next week.
As for the Orlando Magic, Moritz Wagner recently underwent surgery after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee and the 27-year-old is set to sit out the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Jalen Suggs missed the game against Utah at the weekend through a quadriceps injury and is considered day-to-day while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to suit up on Tuesday, having missed the Jazz clash.
Wagner turned in another dominant individual display last time out and the 23-year-old, who has netted 20+ points in 14 straight matches and 25 games this season will be looking to inspire the Magic to victory on Monday.
Golden State Warriors possible starting 5:
Curry, Hield, Post, Payton II, Wiggins
Orlando Magic possible starting 5:
Black, Wagner, Bitadze, Banchero, Silva
We say: The Golden State Warriors to win by 7+ points.
The Golden State Warriors suffered a bump in the road in their push into the playoff places and will be looking to bounce back on Tuesday. Kerr's men take on an Orlando Magic side who have struggled to impose themselves on the road this season and we are backing them to make it three straight victories against the visitors since the start of 2024. body check tags ::
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