Gameday: Warriors Hope to Keep Scoring Rhythm Going Vs Hornets

OAKLAND -- The Warriors believe they found their rhythm in with a scorching second half Wednesday and they hope it will be with them Friday night, when they face the Hornets at Oracle Arena.

Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 6:30, with tipoff scheduled for 7:35.

After failing to score 50 points in four of five halves against Denver, Cleveland and Utah, the Warriors used hot defense and hotter shooting (71.7 percent) to ring up 78 points after halftime, tying their season-high, against the Jazz.

While the Warriors (28-7) have won 13 of their last 14 games, the Hornets (12-22) are going in the opposite direction, losing 13 of their last 17 and 19 of their last 26.

BETTING LINE

Warriors by 10.5

MATCHUP TO WATCH

Shaun Livingston & Co. vs. Kemba Walker: Everything the Hornets do revolves around their tough little (6-foot-1) point guard. He's their leading scorer (21.6 points per game), their leading playmaker (5.8 assists) and his PER (19.8) is the highest on the team. Livingston likely will start, but Pat McCaw will also get his opportunities.

INJURY REPORT

Warriors: F Omri Casspi (R ankle sprain) and G Stephen Curry (R ankle sprain) are listed as out.

Hornets: F/C Cody Zeller (L knee surgery) is listed as out.

LAST 10

Warriors: 9-1. Hornets: 3-7.

GAME OFFICIALS

Marc Davis (crew chief), Dedric Taylor, Justin Van Duyne

SERIES HISTORY

The Warriors won the first of two meetings this season, 101-87, on Dec. 6 in Charlotte, swept both meetings last season and have won the last seven overall.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

INTENSITY LEVEL: Charlotte is struggling, but it's not from lack of effort. They follow Walker's lead and he's as mentally tough as anyone in the league. He simply doesn't quit. The Warriors are prone to lapses early in the game and also once they build a large lead. That propensity could invite trouble against the Hornets, as five of their 12 wins have come as a result of wiping out double-digit leads.

THE OTHER WINGS: Though Andre Iguodala is productive, he's still searching for his shot; he's shooting 42.7 percent, 24.1 percent from deep. Pat McCaw, however, seems to be coming out of his early-season doldrums. He's 16-of-29 over his last four games (55.2 percent), though only 2-of-10 (20 percent from deep). When either of these wings is scoring efficiently, the Warriors are practically impossible to guard.

OH, DWIGHT: Once an elite center, Howard is trying to recapture the mojo he enjoyed in Orlando. He's having a decent season, averaging 15.5 points (53.5 percent from the field) and 12.4 rebounds (third in the NBA). The Warriors have seen plenty of Howard in recent years and handled him well; he totaled 14 points and seven rebounds three weeks ago in Charlotte. It's a trend they'd like to continue.

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