The Golden State Warriors are the hottest team in the Western Conference an in the NBA in general. The team has won seven straight overall as they sit at 30-5 on the season. That record comes from a well balanced team that is excelling on offense while continuing to improve on defense. They will put that improved record to the test as they prepare to face the Miami Heat in an Eastern-Western faceoff.
The Warriors are coming off their seventh straight win in double figures as they defeated the Utah Jazz 116-105. During that win streak, the Warriors are shooting 43.6 percent from beyond the arc while winning each game by a margin of 20.6 points. Stephen Curry continues to lead the way with 27 points in that game while shooting 53.3 percent in the past seven wins. Klay Thompson has been doing much of the same shooting 52.9 percent overall as the two have created the best backcourt in the league.
The Warriors saw the Miami Heat at the start of the season when Curry put down 40 points. They are currently 12-0 against the Eastern Conference this year while Curry has put up at least 35.0 points against the Heat and going 20 for 30 from the 3-point line this season. When the two teams faced off in November, they had their second-best shooting percentage of the year at 57.3.
Miami is currently struggling as injuries continue to hit hard. Dwyane Wade exited the win over the Lakers with a strained hamstring and could be out for the forseeable future. He missed seven games in November for the same injury. Miami only shot 42.3 percent in that win over the Lakers as Chris Bosh only had eight points and Mario Chalmers added 19. The Heat are seeking some kind of consistency as they have won two straight, but the injury to Wade could be a big set pack as he is averaging 22.1 points per game.
