Miami vs. Golden State
SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — The Miami Heat will visit the Golden State Warriors on Thursday at Chase Center in an NBA matchup between teams trending in different directions. Miami enters with a 2-5 record, while Golden State is 5-3 and has won five straight games. The Heat will look to rebound from a loss in their most recent outing, while the Warriors return home after a productive stretch.
Miami’s player to watch is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been among the team’s most productive players. In the Heat’s most recent game, Antetokounmpo finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. He also had 31 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over Indiana and 24 points and 18 rebounds in a victory at Atlanta. Bam Adebayo added 16 points and nine rebounds in the most recent game, and Davion Mitchell contributed 15 points and seven assists. Miami will need that supporting production to complement Antetokounmpo against a Golden State team playing well at home.
Golden State’s player to watch is Stephen Curry, who remains central to the Warriors’ offense. Curry scored 34 points with six rebounds and seven assists in the team’s most recent win over Phoenix. He had 31 points and six assists against the Los Angeles Lakers and 44 points, eight rebounds and six assists at Minnesota. Charles Bassey added 19 points and eight rebounds in the most recent game, while Yaxel Lendeborg had 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. The Warriors have received balanced contributions during their recent run and will try to continue that form at Chase Center.
The matchup will test Miami’s ability to contain Curry and Golden State’s ability to handle Antetokounmpo inside. The Heat have struggled for consistency early this season, but they have shown scoring punch in wins over Indiana and Atlanta. Golden State’s five-game streak includes wins over Denver, Minnesota, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix. Miami’s two wins came against Indiana and at Atlanta. The Warriors have scored at least 112 points in each of those five victories. Miami has allowed at least 113 points in every game this season. Golden State has used a five-game winning streak to move above .500 and will aim to protect its home court. Miami will continue a road-heavy portion of its schedule after this game, while Golden State will remain at home for its next contest. The game is set for Thursday at Chase Center.
Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Miami 115, Golden State 113. Interstat’s ELO system projects Golden State with a 66 percent probability to win.