Record: 29-31 (18th) • Point Differential: +0.7 (14th) • Pace: 90.2 (28th)
Off. Efficiency: 105.5 (21st) • eFG: 48.9 (t-20th) • TO: 14.4 (t-6th) • OReb: 26.0 (19th) • FT/FG: 21.8 (22nd)
Def. Efficiency: 104.8 (10th) • eFG: 48.2 (7th) • TO: 16.0 (t-8th) • OReb: 25.1 (6th) • FT/FG: 25.8 (25th)
PreThoughts
The Heat have lost four in a row, and have fallen into a virtual tie with the Bobcats for eighth in the conference... this is a must-win game for them. The Warriors are 4-23 on the road. The available Golden State roster tonight consists of Li'l Stephen Curry, a banged-up Ronny Turiaf, a long-dead Devean George, and five players the Warriors have acquired either from the D-League or the waiver wire.
And yet, this game could be interesting. For if you managed to slog through our previous post, you may have noticed something: besides the debuting Reggie Williams, the seven Warriors suiting up tonight are the team's seven most effective players, according to regularized adjusted plus-minus. And the most likely starting lineup tonight -- Curry, CJ, Morrow, Tolliver, Turiaf -- has been monstrously effective, outscoring opponents 147-101 in its 57 minutes of court time to date.
Now, there's some flukiness in those numbers, to be sure... a Curry/CJ/Morrow/Tolliver/Turiaf lineup probably won't average 123 points a game long-term, and especially not against a rock-solid defensive team like the Heat. There's no real reason to expect a win tonight. But the guys that will be playing during this road trip have played very, very well together. Don't be surprised if the Dubs are more competitive on this road trip than they've previously been.
Warrior To Watch: Reggie Williams, who, with Curry, gives the Warriors the leading scorers in college basketball from each of the last three seasons. He'll get plenty of minutes from jump street... can he show enough to earn himself a job somewhere in the league next year?
Heatperson To Watch: why, it's Dwyane Wade, you silly goose!
PostThoughts -- Heat 110, Warriors 106
A loss to a struggling Miami team should not obscure the fact that this was one of the year's most intelligent Warrior performances. These guys moved the ball around and found open men as advertised. They continued to take truckloads of threes, a welcome development... the Dubs' three highest long-distance attempt totals have come in their last four games. They defended willingly, if not well. If not for some uncharacteristically poor shooting from the line and from three-point land, the Warriors might've eked out their second impressive road win of the season. Kudos, boys.
Props are also due to WTW Reggie Williams, who looked skilled, smooth and ready to help. It's just one game, but he seemed for all the world like a guy who should take Devean George's place in the rotation, and probably his place on the roster, as well.
No rest for the undermanned -- the Dubs play in Orlando today. Let's see what this unit can do for an encore.
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2 comments:
Some of Fitzgerald's comments last night struck me as downright surreal. I understand that there are only two healthy point guards on the roster, but is really that insane to think Curry maybe shouldn't play all 48 minutes? He acted as though the earth would stop spinning if Curry fouled out; moreover, the idea of him sitting out while in foul trouble is inconceivable. I don't get this thought process - giving jump shooters reasonable rest so they are fresh and out of foul trouble in the 4th seems defensible to me. CJ is capable on the ball, Morrow and Williams both can play the 2 - even Devean if that is what it takes. Also, having Tolliver, Hunter, and Turiaf out there all at once isn't going to kill you against the Heat, you may end up being competitive on the glass even.
I watched the Heat broadcast -- pretty charming and complimentary to the Warriors, actually, although they were strangely obsessed with D-Wade's dunk total. But yeah, that sounds like pretty extreme nonsense, even for Fitz. He's really far down the Nellieball rabbit hole if he thinks that a big, good-rebounding lineup would be dramatically worse than the tired midget act the Dubs have been putting forth all season.
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