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Comments (0) | The Golden State Warriors start up a five-game road trip against Eastern Conference opponents with tonight's matchup against the Indiana Pacers from Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Warriors, who have lost their first two tests in enemy arenas this season, will also visit Indiana and New York on this trek before wrapping the swing up with games against a pair of powerhouses out of the East, Cleveland and Boston.
Golden State will be coming into tonight's clash with a surge of momentum after dismantling hapless Minnesota Monday in Oakland. Kelenna Azubuike led eight Warrior players in double figures with 31 points as the team cruised to a 146-105 victory over the Timberwolves, matching the most lopsided defeat in Minnesota history.
Anthony Randolph finished with 23 points and Anthony Morrow scored 20 for Golden State, which put together its highest point total since a 146-109 triumph over Minnesota on April 1, 1994. The Warriors also amassed 22 steals, the club's most in a game since recording 25 versus San Antonio on February 15, 1989.
"This is the way we should play every night, this is what we are capable of doing," said Warriors guard Monta Ellis, who contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds. "That was all the goals that we set for ourselves."
Disgruntled Golden State forward Stephen Jackson ended with 10 points, 15 assists and six rebounds in Monday's win, one day after the one-time Pacer's agent publicly criticized Warriors head coach Don Nelson. Jackson had issued a trade request to the team prior to the start of the season.
The Pacers have won back-to-back contests after three straight losses to open their 2009-10 campaign. After besting the New York Knicks on the road on Wednesday, Indiana began a three-game homestand with Friday's 102-86 ousting of Washington behind a 22-point effort from Danny Granger.
T.J. Ford compiled 18 points and 10 rebounds and Dahntay Jones also had 18 points for the Pacers, who built a 53-41 halftime lead and were up by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter.
"We didn't shoot particularly well from the field," Granger said. "We relied on our defense. We blocked some shots, got some steals, found the open man and got the win."
Tyler Hansbrough, Indiana's first-round selection in this past June's draft, made his NBA debut in the win and delivered 13 points and five rebounds in nearly 14 minutes of action. The former North Carolina star sat out the first four games after injuring his right shin in training camp.
The Pacers are expected to be without center Troy Murphy, the team's leading rebounder last season, for a third straight outing due to a bruised lower back. Second-year pro Roy Hibbert has gotten additional playing time as a result and performed well, having averaged 13.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in the two games Murphy has missed.
These teams have split a two-game season series in each of the past two years, with the home team prevailing in each of those four meetings. Golden State has lost in seven of its last eight visits to Indianapolis, however.
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