Golden State Warriors start 2-game road trip in Phoenix

The Golden State Warriors will visit the Phoenix Suns on Saturday to kick off a 2-game road trip.

After losing to the Sacramento Kings 98-93 on Friday at Oracle Arena, the Golden State Warriors (52-17) hit the road to visit Talking Stick Resort Arena, where they’re set to play the Phoenix Suns (19-51) on the tail end of a back-to-back series.

The reigning NBA champions will kick off a short, 2-game road trip with their stay in the Grand Canyon State, after which they’ll head to the AT&T Center to play the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

The Dubs will enjoy three full days of rest before they return to Oakland to host the Atlanta Hawks next Friday, commencing a 4-game home stand.

Hopefully by then, NBA superstar Stephen Curry will be ready to return to the hardwood, giving the team back one of their prolific scorers.

Game Details

Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns

Tip-Off: Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. PST

Location: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, AZ

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area

Radio: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Radio Network

Projected Starting Lineups

Phoenix Suns

PG: Elfrid Payton 

SG: Devin Booker

SF: T.J. Warren

PF: Dragan Bender

C: Alex Len

Head Coach: Jay Triano

Golden State Warriors

PG: Quinn Cook

SG: Nick Young

SF: Andre Iguodala

PF: Draymond Green

C: Zaza Pachulia

Head Coach: Steve Kerr

Injury Report

GSW: Omri Casspi (sprained right ankle), Kevin Durant (incomplete rib cartilage fracture), Stephen Curry (tweaked right ankle), Patrick McCaw (non-displaced fracture, left wrist) and Klay Thompson (fractured right thumb) are out.

PHX: Devin Booker (right hand sprain) and Alan Williams (right meniscus repair) are both considered questionable. Brandon Knight is out with a left ACL tear.

Next: Quinn Cook scores 25 vs. Kings

Keys to the Game

Right after the unfortunate announcement of KD’s untimely rib injury, the Warriors suffer another blow with Omri Casspi sustaining a sprained right ankle.

While you have to appreciate Golden State’s effort against Sacramento, it’s become more important than ever that the Warriors do what they can to keep the rest of their roster intact — even if that means completely losing out on the first seed in the Western Conference.

We all want the Warriors to be fun and competitive night in and night out, but there’s no reason they should go out and give 110 percent just a couple weeks away from the postseason.

I say significantly limit Green’s and Iguodala’s minutes, and give guys like Cook, Kevon Looney, Damian Jones and Chris Boucher more run. If everything goes as planned, the Warriors will be incredibly well rested before the first round of the playoffs and ready to defend their title.

(All game information provided via Warriors PR)