(Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
One of the most significant questions surrounding the Golden State Warriors entering this season was how they would respond to playing with targets on their backs. Last season, they were able to sneak up on some opponents and pull out victories as the underdogs.
This season, it’s a different story. Other teams in the NBA now know the kind of talent that the Warriors have. They have a plan on how to stop Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. They’ve seen the impact that Andre Iguodala has made on the team so far this season.
With the Golden State Warriors vs Miami Heat today, they will certainly be playing with targets on their backs. The Warriors pulled off a miraculous 97-95 win over the Heat during last season’s seven-game road trip, and the Miami Heat will not let the Warriors sneak up on them again.
The Heat have done their homework on the Warriors, and they seem prepared to beat the Warriors today. Shane Battier described the Warriors’ versatility to Jimmy Durkin of the Bay Area News Group.
“They’re dynamic,” Heat forward Shane Battier said. “Last year they played small. They can play big this year. They’re versatile, especially with Iguodala. He’s the West Coast version of LeBron. You can put him in multiple places on the floor and he unlocks the versatility.”
The Heat know that the key to stopping the Warriors is stopping Curry and Thompson. They’re prepared to limit the shots that Curry and Thompson get and force them into tough shots. LeBron James even made the statement that the Splash Brothers are two of the best shooters in NBA history. Erik Spoelstra expressed to Durkin the same respect for the Splash Brothers’ shooting.
“The way the two of them shoot the ball and their skill set, how quick their release is and how deep their range is — it’s unique,” Spoelstra said. “You don’t play that ever against anybody else. There’s a lot of things when you face the Heat that teams have never seen, that’s true for them as well, just in a different way.”
The Heat know they’re facing a tough opponent in the Warriors, but the Warriors are also going to have their hands full trying to contain the Heat. Mark Jackson told Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle that they understand what a tremendous test this game will be.
“They’re the champs, and they have the best player in the world,” Jackson said. “Along with that, they have a future Hall of Famer, and, in my opinion, the third-best shooting guard who’s ever played this game in Dwyane Wade. It’s going to be a tough challenge. We’re playing great, but this is an opponent that creates a lot of problems.
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“We’re excited about having an opportunity to test ourselves against the best in the world.”
The Warriors have more talent on their roster this season than they had last season. They have a formidable starting lineup that is capable of beating any team on any given night. The Warriors are going to have to play a perfect game if they want to beat the reigning NBA champions today.
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