Warriors vs. Jazz Preview & Prediction

The Golden State Warriors have won nine of their last 10 games, and are coming off a dominant victory over New Orleans.

The Utah Jazz has also been surprisingly surging of late, winning seven of their last eight games.

Projected Starting Lineups

Golden State Warriors (55-13)

G Stephen Curry – 23.3 ppg, 8.0 apg, 2.1 spg

G Justin Holiday – 4.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg

F Harrison Barnes – 10.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg

F Draymond Green – 11.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg

C Andrew Bogut – 6.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg

Utah Jazz (31-37)

G Dante Exum – 4.8 ppg, 2.3 apg

G Rodney Hood – 7.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg

F Gordon Hayward – 19.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg

F Derrick Favors – 16.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg

C Rudy Gobert – 7.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.3 bpg

What to watch for:

Who steps up for Klay Thompson?

The Warriors haven't missed Thompson too much during their recent hot stretch because they've had someone step up in every game during his departure. That's going to have to be the case again tonight if Golden State wants to win.

How big of an impact will Rudy Gobert have?

Gobert and his 7'9" wingspan has turned into one of the premier rim protectors in the NBA, and Utah's recent surge can be directly linked to Gobert seeing more and more minutes. Golden State shoots a lot from the perimeter, but they also rely heavily on penetration and attacking the rim. If Gobert can limit them in that regard, the Jazz have a chance to win.

Prediction: Warriors win 101-89

Utah's defense will keep them in this game, but they ultimately won't have enough offense to keep up with Golden State's firepower.

Back to the Golden State Warriors Newsfeed