JaVale Starting for Zaza Vs Hornets; Livingston Out for Warriors

OAKLAND -- Center JaVale McGee will make his third start of the season Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said two hours before tipoff.

McGee is replacing Zaza Pachulia, who is sidelined with a strained right rotator cuff.

One of six players capable of playing center in the Warriors' rotation -- they refer to the position not as "center" but as "big" -- McGee's 7-foot height and 270 pounds made him the logical choice against Hornets big man Roy Hibbert, who is 7-2, 280.

With five others available to play the "big" position, the only assurance would seem to be Draymond Green putting in minutes in the small lineup. James Michael McAdoo, Anderson Varejao, Kevon Looney and rookie Damian Jones also will be available.

"With Zaza out . . . we can have a plan, but it has to be ‘let's see hour things are going' and we'll play it ear," Kerr said. "We'll start with JaVale and see how the game goes and figure it out from there."

McGee likely will be in line to start Thursday night, too, when the Warriors face the Clippers and their active big man, DeAndre Jordan.

Pachulia will be out for at least a week.

"We're lucky it's not worse. It could've been worse, I guess. But it's not bad for him to miss a few games here and get some rest," said Kerr. "I don't think it's anything that's going to linger too long."

Meanwhile, West was to undergo an X-ray Wednesday night, but was declared out for the game against the Clippers on Thursday night in Los Angeles.

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Warriors guard Shaun Livingston was a late addition to the team's injury list Wednesday, as he was declared out 90 minutes before tipoff against the Charlotte Hornets at Oracle Arena.

Livingston, diagnosed with a mid-back strain, will join centers Pachulia and West on the sideline.

Livingston's absence is significant insofar as the Warriors do not have another natural point guard behind starter Stephen Curry. Klay Thompson, Ian Clark and Patrick McCaw are the only other guards on the roster, with forward Andre Iguodala occasionally filling that role.

Livingston is averaging 5.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists, playing an average of 17.6 minutes per game. He has shot at least 50 percent in 14 of the last 15 games.

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