Game Preview: Warriors at Cavaliers – 1/20/23
END OF THE ROAD
It started with the highest-attended game in NBA history and included a visit to the White House and a hotly contested NBA Finals rematch that ended in overtime, but the road trip of five games for the Warriors will end on Friday when they visit Cleveland. Riders. The road trip has been bumpy to say the least, and the Dubs have a chance to do something they haven’t done yet this season: have a winning road trip. The Dubs have shared their first four games of the trip and will wrap it all up on Friday against the holders of the best home record in the Eastern Conference (19-4). It will be the Dubs’ second and final regular-season game with the Cavs, and the Dubs won the first, 106-101, back at home in November, behind a fourth-quarter clutch performance from Stephen Curry.
Warriors at Cavaliers
Friday January 20 | Tipoff: 4:30 p.m. PT
WATCH: NBC Sports Bay Area (local), NBA League Pass (non-local)
Listen to: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App and Warriors Radio Network
LAST TIME OUT
Making their first visit to Boston since last year’s Championship Finals in the NBA Finals, the Warriors outscored the Celtics for three quarters but ultimately fell 121-118 in overtime on Thursday. Stephen Curry had 29 points to lead the Dubs, who also had more than 20 points from Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins, while Draymond Green finished one assist from a triple-double. » Complete recap of the game
Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics Highlights
DID YOU KNOW?
The Warriors have won each of their last 11 regular season games against the Cavaliers, marking their longest active winning streak against a single opponent.
PREVIOUS GAME BEGINNERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green
CLE: Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen
INJURY NOTES AND LIST
GSW: JaMychal Green (right leg infection), Andre Iguodala (right hip pain), Jonathan Kuminga (right foot sprain) and James Wiseman (left ankle sprain) are TBD. Team Notes
CLE: Donovan Mitchell (strained left groin) is questionable. Dylan Windler (sprained right ankle) and Dean Wade (sprained left shoulder) are absent. Team Notes
NEW LOOK RANGE
On Thursday, the Warriors shortened their rotation to eight players and used a starting lineup consisting of Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney. It was the first time the Dubs had used that starting five in a regular season game — that group, however, started in the decisive Game 5 win over the Nuggets in the first round of last year’s NBA Playoffs. Playing at the end of a back-to-back game, and after an emotional battle in an NBA Finals rematch in a tough road environment, it’s likely head coach Steve Kerr will go deeper into his bench on Friday. . The Warriors reserves who saw action — Kevon Looney, Anthony Lamb and Donte DiVincenzo — combined for just 10 points on Thursday, and the Dubs will likely need more production than that if they’re to come away with a winning road trip. in tow.
GSWCLEPTS: Curry (29.3)PTS: Mitchell (28.4)REB: Looney (8.4)REB: Allen (9.8)AST: Green (6.7)AST: Garland (8.0)
CLEVELAND SCOUTING REPORT
The Cavaliers have alternated wins and losses over the past two weeks and come into Friday’s game fifth in the Eastern Conference. One of Cleveland’s big stories is the health of Donovan Mitchell. The ninth leading scorer (28.4 points per game) in the NBA this season, Mitchell sat out the team’s previous game – a narrow loss to the searing Grizzlies – on Wednesday with a strained left groin and is questionable for the Friday game. With or without Mitchell, the Cavs are a much improved and deep team this season. Darius Garland is coming off a game-high 14 assists on Wednesday, and he’s one of two NBA players this season to average at least 20 points and eight assists while shooting at least 39% on 3-pointers. But it’s on defense that the Cavs are most dangerous. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen provide ample rim protection, as the Cavs have the second-best defensive rating (allowing 109.4 points per 100 possessions) and allow the fewest points per game (107.1). The Cavs have held opponents below 100 points 14 times this season and won 13 of those games. The Warriors faced a tough test on Thursday, and it won’t get much easier on Friday as they face a Cavs team with the best home record in the East.