Four days after Stephen Curry returned to the lineup, the Warriors add another member of their rotation Wednesday when forward Alfonzo McKinnie joins them in facing the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 3 o'clock, with Warriors Pregame, with tipoff at Quicken Loans Arena scheduled for 4:10. All coverage can be seen on the MyTeams app.
McKinnie earned a roster spot with a strong preseason and was playing well he developed soreness in his left foot that caused him to miss the last nine games.
The Warriors (16-9) are making their first trip to Cleveland since winning the NBA Finals there last June. They'd like to even their record on the current five-game road trip to 2-2 before closing it out in Milwaukee on Friday. They've won 11 of 12 against the Cavaliers, including eight of nine in the postseason.
The Cavaliers (5-18) don't resemble the team the Warriors met in each of the last four NBA Finals. LeBron James is gone, Kyrie Irving is long gone, and both Kevin Love and JR Smith are unavailable. Tristan Thompson and George Hill are the only starters from Game 4 of the 2018 Finals in the current starting lineup.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Sports
Warriors
F Andre Iguodala
F Kevin Durant
F Kevon Looney
G Klay Thompson
G Stephen Curry
Cavaliers
F Rodney Hood
F Cedi Osman
C Tristan Thompson
G George Hill
G Collin Sexton
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: C DeMarcus Cousins (L Achilles' tendon surgery rehab), F Draymond Green (R toe sprain) and C Damian Jones (L pectoral tear) are listed as out.
Cavaliers: F Sam Dekker (L ankle sprain) F Kevin Love (L foot surgery), G David Nwaba (R knee soreness), G JR Smith (personal) and C Ante Zizic (L knee strain) are listed as out.
ROTATION OUTLOOK
Warriors: Curry's 3-point shooting is as hot as it was before he was hurt. He's shooting 47.4 percent (9-of-19) over two games since his return. He's also experiencing soreness in his L wrist but insists it won't keep him out of the lineup.
Durant is shooting 55.2 percent (79-of-143) over his last six games and has scored at least 20 points in 13 consecutive games.
Jonas Jerebko may have rediscovered his deep shooting touch. He was 2-2 from beyond the arc on Monday and 5-of-9 over the last three games. He was 9-of-36 over the previous 13.
McKinnie's return instantly bolsters the team's wing depth. He was averaging 6.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 20.7 minutes per game prior to being injured. A 48.4-percent shooter from deep, he's capable of producing at either forward spot.
Cavaliers: Smith, infamous for many things, including a blunder in Game 1 of The Finals last June, is not with the team as management seeks to trade him.
A crucial element to beating the Cavs is keeping Thompson off the offensive glass. He's second in the NBA in that category, averaging 5.1 per game. Looney will have a difficult job.
Rookie Sexton, identified as the team's PG of the future, is averaging nearly as many turnovers (2.2) as assists (2.5) assists per game. Jordan Clarkson and Alec Burks (acquired last week from Utah) are capable scorers off the bench. Clarkson is the team's leading scorer (16.2 ppg). They combined for 33 points in a win over the Nets on Monday.
