Reinvented Miami Heat face ultimate stress test against Golden State Warriors

Heat vs Warriors preview: The Miami Heat host the fantastic Golden State Warriors Wednesday.

Heat (32-24) vs Warriors (50-5)
Where: Miami
When: Wednesday, 7:30 pm ET
TV/Radio: FS-SUN/790

Call it a stress test.

Fresh off a three-game win streak, the new-look Miami Heat are playing faster and trusting players not named Dwyane Wade to run the show. Goran Dragic and Luol Deng, even Josh McRoberts, are having their best stretches of the season. Miami has eclipsed the 100 points mark in each of those three wins, and are now tied for third place in the Eastern Conference.

The Golden State Warriors, the fastest team in NBA history to win 50 games, are chasing something much bigger. The Warriors, chasing 72 wins, are also running from the San Antonio Spurs (47-9) to maintain first place in the Western Conference.

Playing fast? The Warriors have practically re-invented playing fast. Like a boulder down a hill, when the Warriors get going they can’t be stopped. They are perhaps the best 3-point shooting team in history. Forget just 3-point shooting, Stephen Curry is one of the most uniquely threatening offensive players the game has ever seen.

Miami’s defense hasn’t been great as of late–missing defensive anchor Chris Bosh–but they haven’t been terrible either. They’ve been doing just enough against some rather week competition, but the Warriors will test that.

The last time these two teams met, the Warriors outlasted the Heat, winning 111-103 on Jan. 11 in Oakland. Miami hung around but, as 50-to-five times is the case, the Warriors were just better.

So, while Miami’s recent success has some feel good to it, and they’ve played faster as they’ve switched some things up systematically, this will be the ultimate stress test.

Matchup to watch: Hassan Whiteside vs Draymond Green

Adding to the drama of the game is Whiteside’s beef with Draymond Green (or Green’s beef with Whiteside?). It dates back to last season when Whiteside tweeted that small ball only works against bigs who can’t score, then added “I wish you would put Someone that 6’6 on me.”

Those tweets made their way to Green, who is listed as 6-foot-6, who responded to Whiteside saying “82 million reasons to flop and the d league ain’t never been 1!”

More recently, there was this comment from the Heat center.

This should be fun.

X-Factor: Justise Winslow

Without Bosh, Justise Winslow becomes Miami’s best all-around defender. Bosh was huge in Miami’s first matchup against the Warriors in his pick-and-roll coverage. Winslow will have to step up in this regard. He isn’t bad and he’ll certainly hold his own. But that won’t be enough to actually beat the Warriors.

If Winslow can not only survive, but be disruptive by playing his assignments close and jumping passing lanes to get some steals, he could create some much-needed points in transition for the Heat.

Of course, this only works if guys like Amar’e Stoudemire, Whiteside and Deng are holding their own as well. But Winslow, now with the freedom to push the ball down the court on his own, could be a difference maker here.

Key stats

Miami Heat offensive efficiency: 22nd, 101.6 points per 100 possessions
Miami Heat defensive efficiency: 6th, 100.2 points allowed per 100 possessions

Golden State Warriors offensive efficiency: 1st,  112.5 points per 100 possessions
Golden State Warriors defensive efficiency: 3rd, 99.7 points allowed per 100 possessions