After defying a 22-point first-half deficit to close out an impressive 4-1 road-trip in Brooklyn on Thursday, the Golden State Warriors will return home to face the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center on Saturday night.
It represents the first of a seven-game home-stand for the Warriors, giving the surging franchise even more opportunity to solidify a top six spot and even push for home-court advantage in the tight Western Conference standings.
Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski is questionable to face the Pistons
Golden State emerged from the road-trip relatively unscathed, though did lose Brandin Podziemski within the first minute of Thursday's 121-119 victory over the Nets. The second-year guard lasted 44 seconds before exiting the game with back tightness, with Podziemski now listed as questionable to face the Pistons on Saturday.
Podziemski has been in sparkling form prior to this concern, having gone for 19 points and 11 rebounds on Monday against the Charlotte Hornets, before tallying 19 points, five rebounds and four asissts against the New York Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back.
Despite earlier suggestions that this Pistons matchup could see the long-awaited return of Jonathan Kuminga, Warrior fans will have to continue to wait as the fourth-year forward continues to recover from what feels like a never-ending ankle injury.
The former seventh overall pick will miss a 30th-consecutive game after being injured on January 4, though there is still some optimism that Kuminga will return at some point on this crucial home-stand.
On the Pistons side, Tobias Harris is probable due to personal reasons, but otherwise all their absences are G League assignees outside of young guard Jaden Ivey who suffered a season-ending leg injury on January 1.
Golden State and Detroit will each enter with a 35-28 record and holding sixth in their respective conference standings. The Pistons have been one of the most improved teams in the league this season, having already won 21 more games than they did last season.
Led by All-Star guard Cade Cunningham, Detroit have ranked 14th in offense, 11th in defense and 14th in overall net rating so far this season. The Pistons did have an extraordinary eight-game winning-streak either side of the All-Star break, but are coming off an eight-point loss to the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday night.
The Warriors can draw closer to the fourth and fifth-seeds in the Western Conference standings with a win, yet a loss would also see them fall back into the Play-In Tournament positions.