It is very important to stop the losing streak before things get out of hand.
Friday night, and Golden State Warriors He went to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers. The defending NBA champions were cut short as they played a tough overtime contest against Boston Celtics The night before and sat four starters. It seemed like a sure loss. However, the guys who donned the suit shocked the hell out of everyone and walked off an unlikely path win over. Strength in numbers and all that.
Where to follow the game
Yes network for locals. NBATV for the rest of you. WFAN on the radio. Peak time issue so we start after 8:30pm.
injuries
Not Kevin Durant. TJ Warren likely had a bruised right knee.
Andre Iguodala has pain in his right thigh. James Wiseman has a sprained left ankle. Anthony Lamb is questionable with pain in the left foot.
the game
Brooklyn won first meeting in December.
Steve Kerr made an interesting line-up change recently. In the match against the Celtics, Jordan Paul was included in the starting lineup in favor of Kevon Looney. In post-game, it is explained The thinking behind it:
“I just wanted to break the floor, give us a little bit of a different look, and maybe catch a spark. We’re past the halfway point, we’re .500. Let’s try something different. For the first time in a while, all of these guys are healthy too. It’s a lineup that we know can be explosive.” “But against Boston especially you have to open the floor. They have a big front line, big wingers, so I felt like we could get a little bit of a boost out of it.”
The Warriors can play a completely spaced game and forces you to defend them from every position on the court. They are first in three-pointers in about 44 games and fifth in efficiency at 37.7 percent. Poole gives five more players who can heat up at any moment and bury teams. He is one of the stars of the future and someone who can reduce the workload of the older stars in the team.
Warriors don’t get to the edge very often (shot attempts inside the restricted zone last at 20 per game), and this might be the wisest strategy tonight. Nick Claxton was a man of possession and was one of the best edge guards in the league. Clax picked up four more blocks on Sunday, and in the process tied Sean Bradley’s record for games with three or more blocks in 11. He does it again tonight and the record is all he’s got. The Warriors would deploy Kevon Looney to wrestle Claxton to the boards and on the other side would try to pull him away from the basket. Fortunately for Nets, Claxton is more than capable of handling switches and working on the periphery. It will make the chess match fun.
The Nets got their rhythm back from downtown on Friday, and that will be essential tonight. Joe Harris and Seth Curry both went 5-12 combined from deep Friday night, and Jack Vaughn stressed the importance of taking more three-pointers (to try to) make up for KD’s absence. He will need to trap his buddies from the depths early and often.
It’s really amazing how far from home the Warriors are. Their road winning percentage is just . 250, the third worst in the league. With the Western Conference crowded as they are from the fifth seed all the way to 13th, they’re going to have to get some way Ws if they want to get back into the playoffs and properly defend their title.
Who will defend Ben Simmons tonight? All signs point to him getting the job for Andrew Wiggins as Wiggins is the Warriors’ second scoring option. He’s been a struggle for the former All Star since returning from an adductor injury, averaging just 14 points per night on .354/.235/.500 shooting splits. His return to form would go a long way in getting the Warriors back into the top six in the conference and out of seed play.
On the flip side, the nets need Simmons to keep pushing the cause and be aggressive. When it stabilizes or becomes passive, the team falters and becomes virtually unplayable. One of the encouraging things about his game on Friday is that he made just one mistake in 36 minutes. Simmons often makes bad mistakes when he puts up bad screens or when he’s overly helpful on defence. It is up to him to stay locked in and win. The Warriors are playing at the fastest pace in the NBA, so tonight will be a great time for Simmons to come up with a transition and attack the basket.
Player to Watch: Stephen Curry
At a certain point, you’re running out of ways to describe how exceptional Carrie is. When you reach this level, you are in a rare state. Curry returned for about two weeks after a shoulder injury kept him out for a while. Shooting numbers aren’t usually out of place (.422/.338/.875 splits), but that doesn’t mean he’s not a threat from anywhere in the state…
Yes man. The Warriors then get two days off before welcoming their opponents Memphis Grizzliesto the city, so that Steve can put more energy tonight to make life hectic for the networks.
Kyrie Irving picked a great time out of his doldrums. He scored a season-high 48 points on 18-29 from the field and 8-15 from deep. Not to be outdone, he tied a career high in rebounds with 11, handed out six assists, and caught four steals. It was the first time he had shot over 45 percent from the field since the win vs Miami Heat On January 8, it was the last Win before losing streak. He certainly can’t score like that every game, but the Nets will need him to be efficient and aggressive when he’s on the field. When he’s heading downhill, he can twist, turn, and score on anyone
This is what he should do.
from the basement
it’s a Royal Rumble week! The big matches are happening this weekend, so let’s take a trip back in time to Ric Flair’s greatest hour
Further reading: The golden state of mind