SALT LAKE CITY -- In the four seasons since Steve Kerr was hired as coach, only one team has beaten the Warriors three times in a season. It happened in 2017-18, when the Utah Jazz pulled off the feat.
So the Warriors, who are without sixth man Andre Igoudala, know the danger that lurks Friday night when they set foot into Vivint Smart Home Arena to face the Jazz.
Tipoff for the ESPN telecast is scheduled 7:35 PDT.
The Warriors were 1-3 against Utah last season, losing the final three games by an average of 29.7 points, including a 119-79 rout in the regular-season finale, a game insignificant to the Warriors but of full consequence to the Jazz.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Warriors:
Sports
G - Stephen Curry G - Klay Thompson F - Kevin Durant F - Draymond Green C - Damian Jones
Jazz:
G - Ricky Rubio G - Donovan Mitchell F - Joe Ingles F - Derrick Favors C - Rudy Gobert
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: F Andre Iguodala L calf tightness) and C DeMarcus Cousins (L Achilles rehab) are listed as out.
Jazz: G Raul Neto (R hamstring strain) F Thabo Sefolosha (NBA suspension) are listed as out.
ROTATION OUTLOOK
Warriors: With Iguodala out, the Warriors are deprived of their usual rotation, with him being the first player off the bench. Coach Steve Kerr has said he's willing to play all healthy players, so expect more minutes from wings Alfonzo McKinnie and/or rookie Jacob Evans III. Kerr will start Jones at center but likely tinker with small lineups, hoping to push Jazz center Rudy Gobert into disadvantages, if not off the floor entirely.
Jazz: Coach Quin Snyder employed a nine-man rotation in the season opener at Sacramento, with Jae Crowder, Dante Exum, Alec Burks and Royce O'Neale coming off the bench. Crowder will get wing minutes, Exum and Burks are combo guards and O'Neale is an undersize (6-foo-6) power forward.
