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Warriors pay a visit to Lakers

Jan 6, 2012 - 3:46 PM (Sports Network) - The Warriors will try to salvage the finale of a three-game road trip in Staples Center tonight against the in-state rival Lakers without star guard Stephen Curry.

Playing in Hollywood vs. the Lakers has historically been a house of horrors for Golden State. The Warriors have dropped six straight in Staples Center to the Lakers and 31 of the last 34 meetings between the teams in LA.

Of course that's nothing compared to Golden State's misery in San Antonio. The Warriors dropped their 27th consecutive game in the Alamo City on Wednesday, a 101-95 setback to the Spurs. But the bigger loss remained the sharp-shooting Curry, who aggravated a sprained right ankle in the second half.

Monta Ellis ended with a season-high 38 points and seven assists for the Warriors, who have lost 13 straight overall to the Spurs. Curry had 20 points and eight assists before re-injuring the ankle in the third quarter.

"I got the steal. It was either a steal or a deflection but I got the ball," Curry said. "Put up a pump fake in transition and took off on my right foot. I pushed off on my toe and it flipped over. It was just a re-aggravation of the same thing that has been happening. It is another frustrating incident that I have to deal with."

The Warriors and Curry, who is averaging 15.2 ppg, for that manner are starting to worry whether this could be a chronic problem for the emerging third-year guard.

"It's been one of those things that's been chronic with me," Curry said. "I've been trying to nip it in the bud, but it seems to be coming back."

David Lee, however, returned to the lineup in San Antonio after missing a game with food poisoning to score 13 points and pull down 10 rebounds.

The Lakers, meanwhile, have been uncharacteristically pedestrian early this season and remained winless on the road after a 107-96 loss in Portland on Thursday.

Kobe Bryant scored 30 points to go along with eight rebounds and Andrew Bynum donated 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who have dropped three straight road games for the first time since losing four road tests in a row to kick off the 1995-1996 season. Pau Gasol scored 19 points with seven rebounds in the loss.

The Lakers have lost 17 of their last 21 games in Portland, but head coach Mike Brown said he doesn't believe they're jinxed.

"Portland's a good team. It's one game. I don't feel that -- maybe that's wrong of me, but you have to give Portland credit," said Brown. "They're a good team. They had something to do with us losing, but I thought our guys didn't play the way we're capable of playing."

The Lakers have won four straight at Staples Center since opening season with an 88-87 loss to Chicago on Christmas Day.