For Byron Scott and his Los Angeles Lakers, the less time Kobe Bryant spends suiting up the higher their probability of victory.

The 36-year-old admittedly fatigued superstar can't carry a team on his back anymore, yet Bryant still averages 35 minutes per game while shooting a career-low 37 percent from the field. He's been even worse during the Lakers' current three-game skid.

Bryant posted a 26.8 field goal percentage in making just 19-of-71 attempts against Indiana, Oklahoma City, and Sacramento; all losses that dropped the Lakers (8-19) further into the Pacific Division cellar. The NBA's third all-time scoring leader notched 25 points against the Kings Sunday night, but committed an uncharacteristically high nine turnovers. There's less room for error with Golden State (23-3) heading to STAPLES Center.

As enticing as a Bryant-Klay Thompson sounds, Scott's best interest may be in benching the 19-year veteran for tonight. The Warriors dominated the season's first two meetings, first in a 127-104 win where Thompson recorded a career-high 41 points, then in a 136-115 thrashing that gave Stephen Curry a team-leading fourth double-double.

 Five of the last six meetings have fallen Golden State's way.

The Warriors are impenetrable on offense. They carry the league's best field goal percentage (48.2), the highest point differential rating (+10.3), and average the second most assists per game (25.7). Curry, who averages 25.3 PPG, takes his game up a notch against the division rival, putting up 30.3 PPG and 12.3 APG over the last three meetings.

One of few factors falling in Los Angeles' favor is the absence of both Andrew Bogut who doesn't have a timetable for returned after undergoing multiple PRP injections in his right knee. David Lee expects to come off the bench after returning from a hamstring injury Monday night.

Lee put up six points and seven rebounds in a 20-point win over Sacramento.

When: December 23, 2014

Where: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA.

Tip-off: 10:30 p.m. ET

Live Stream: NBA-Stream.com

TV: CSN Bay Area, TWC

Projected Lineups:

Golden State Warriors: PG Stephen Curry, SG Klay Thompson, SF Harrison Barnes, PF Draymond Green, C Festus Ezeli

Los Angeles Lakers: PG Ronnie Price, SG Kobe Bryant, SF Wesley Johnson, PF Ed Davis, C Jordan Hill