OAKLAND -- For the first time in nearly four weeks, the Warriors will take the court Thursday night with their regular starting lineup.
Center Zaza Pachulia, out since Jan. 29 with a strained rotator cuff, was cleared to play and will return to his status as the starting center when the Warriors face the Clippers at Oracle Arena, coach Steve Kerr said in his pregame news conference.
Backup center David West, who has been out since Jan. 18 with a fractured thumb, also received clearance and will be available.
JaVale McGee, who performed well while starting eight games in place of Pachulia, will return to his normal role, playing spot minutes off the bench.
"I considered either way, but I think we had a good groove with Zaza as a starter," Kerr said. "And JaVale was still making an impact when Zaza was starting, bringing him in midway through the first quarter. We hadn't done it the other way.
"I've seen JaVale with our other group, later in the first quarter, and that worked well. So I figured I might as well go back to what's already worked."
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While Pachulia was out, McGee averaged 9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 16.5 minutes per game. Generating most of his offense on dunks off lobs, he is shooting 74.7 percent (71-of-95) over his last 22 games and 67.8 percent this season.
Pachulia, who has started 44 games, is averaging 5.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He is shooting 52.7 percent from the field.
