Atlanta @ Golden State preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 2, 2018 ) Golden State 114, Atlanta 109

All-Star point guard Stephen Curry will return from a six-game absence because of a right ankle injury when the Golden State Warriors host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said there is nothing gained by continuing to hold out Curry, who has experienced repeated issues with the ankle this season.

Curry has been sidelined since tweaking the ankle during the opening minutes of a March 8 contest against the San Antonio Spurs and he asserted he's ready to return when meeting with reporters. "I'm feeling good," Curry said. "Hopefully, we don't have to look in the rearview mirror anymore." Curry's longstanding troubles with that ankle include surgery in 2011 after his second NBA campaign and missing 56 games in his third season after injuring it at least five times. Struggling Atlanta has lost seven of its last eight games after dropping a 105-90 decision to the host Sacramento Kings on Thursday.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE HAWKS (21-51): Leading scorer Dennis Schroder (19.5 average) will be back in the lineup against the Warriors after being rested Thursday, two nights after scoring a career-high 41 points in a win over the Utah Jazz. Schroder's absence from the lineup allowed second-year pro Isaiah Taylor to make his second career start at point guard and he impressed with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting in 26 minutes. "He continues to grow," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said of Taylor in his postgame press conference. "I think his aggressiveness, his ability to get to the paint and get to the rim, and defensively, he had some great possessions. Happy with how he's playing, happy with how he's grown."

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (53-18): Golden State went 2-4 during Curry's absence, a span that includes All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson (fractured thumb) missing the last four games and All-Star small forward Kevin Durant (rib) sitting out the past three contests. Durant returned to practice but wasn't cleared for Friday's game while Thompson began weight lifting but isn't yet ready to practice. The lackluster stretch has seen the Warriors fall 4 1/2 games behind the Houston Rockets for the top seed in the Western Conference and they bottomed out with Monday's 89-75 loss to the San Antonio Spurs when Golden State established a season low for points.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Warriors have won the past six meetings and 11 of the last 12.

2. Golden State PG Quinn Cook averaged 24.3 points and made 12-of-22 3-point attempts over the past three games while doing his own Curry impersonation.

3. Atlanta SF Taurean Prince is averaging nine points on 6-of-23 shooting over the last two outings after averaging 30.8 points over the previous four contests.

PREDICTION: Warriors 129, Hawks 93