OAKLAND -- The Warriors will try to extend their NBA-best win streak to seven games Friday night, when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Pregame coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 5 p.m. with Happy Hour, followed by Warriors Pregame. Tipoff at Oracle Arena is scheduled for 7:35.
The Warriors (8-1) are off to their best start since 2015-16, when they opened the season with 24 consecutive wins. They're 4-0 at home, winning by an average of 15 points per game.
Disgruntled star Jimmy Butler, who has missed two games for manufactured reasons, will be in the lineup for the Timberwolves (4-4), who are trying to climb above .500 for the first time this season.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Warriors
F - Kevin Durant F - Draymond Green C - Damian Jones G - Klay Thompson G - Stephen Curry
Sports
Timberwolves
F - Andrew Wiggins F - Taj Gibson C - Karl-Anthony Towns G - Jimmy Butler G - Derrick Rose
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: C DeMarcus Cousins (L Achilles' tendon surgery rehab) and G Shaun Livingston (R foot soreness) are listed as out.
Timberwolves: C Juston Patton (R foot surgery) and G Jeff Teague (L knee contusion) are listed as out.
ROTATION OUTLOOK
Warriors: Other than when influenced by injuries -- such as the absence of Livingston in recent games -- the rotation goes 10 deep, with newcomers, PF Jonas Jerebko and SF Alfonzo McKinnie, getting meaningful minutes. This depth is why none of the team's "big" men, aside from Green, is averaging more than 17 minutes per game.. . . PG Quinn Cook's minutes have been very sporadic, four times getting into double digits but twice never leaving the bench.
Timberwolves: With Teague out Wednesday, Derrick Rose got his first start at PG and responded by turning back the clock, scoring a career-high 50 points in 41 minutes.. . . Though Teague's injury may change things, coach Tom Thibodeau has not lived down to his reputation for playing his starters heavy minutes. Only Butler is averaging more than 33 mpg.. . . Key players off the bench have been PF Anthony Tolliver, who stretches the floor, and SF James Nunnally.
