Winless Heat Prepare to Face Undefeated Warriors
By David Ramil
A difficult preseason may get even harder for the Miami Heat, who travel to a neutral site in Kansas City, Missouri, to face the Golden State Warriors.
The Heat have started off 0-4, including two overtime losses, and frustration may be mounting despite the meaninglessness of the preseason. Multiple outlets have reported that both Chris Bosh and head coach Erik Spoelstra are eager to notch a few wins before the regular season starts in a few weeks. And the Warriors, off to a hot start at 4-0, are a tough challenge.
The concern in Golden State was how the team would respond to first-year head coach (and former television analyst) Steve Kerr. Former coach Mark Jackson was a divisive presence in the locker room but was able to help the team improve its annual win totals during his tenure; Kerr’s challenge is to get this team to be a legitimate contender and not an also-ran.
Much of the team’s success will depend on the long-range shooting of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Both guards have been spectacular this preseason, and Thompson – who’s ongoing contract issues have been a distraction for some time – has been particularly impressive. The Warriors also get solid contributions from Andrew Bogut and David Lee, who has consistently killed Miami in past meetings with his hustle, rebounding and cutting to the hoop past slower defenders. Golden State happens to excel in two areas where Miami has struggled of late, mainly guarding the perimeter and rebounding. Still, two of the Warriors’ four wins have come against the lowly Los Angeles Lakers so it’s tough to gauge exactly how much this team has improved.
Some of the key focus points for this evening include:
- The point guard battle – No word as of now regarding if Mario Chalmers (hip injury) or Norris Cole will continue starting. Either one will have their hands full trying to defend Curry, a fearless shooter with unlimited range. Will rookie Shabazz Napier get some minutes against the All-Star guard? Lots to look out for at this spot
- Old vs. New – Dwyane Wade and Klay Thompson are two of the best shooting guards in the league, a position that seems to be less vital as it once was. It should be a good test for Wade to defend Thompson and vice-versa.
- “King James II” – Rookie James Ennis has been a fan favorite so far but you wonder when – or if – that bubble will ever burst. The Warriors have been experimenting with bringing Andre Iguadola off the bench and it should be a good test for Ennis or Danny Granger to get quality shots off against a solid defender.
- Size vs. Speed? – Golden State starts Bogut and Lee, both tall and solid rebounders; who will Spoelstra counter with in his lineup? Can Bosh draw Bogut out on the perimeter and use his quickness to get to the rim?
The Warriors are playing the second game of a back-to-back set (a 104-101 win over Denver) while Miami faces the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. This should affect how both teams rotate players on and off the floor so that’s something to look out for. With players at the end of bench running out of time to guarantee a spot on the team, you could be looking at some major playing time for reserves in the second half of the game.
Tipoff for tonight’s matchup is at 8:30 PM from the Sprint Center in Kansas City.