When the Cleveland Cavaliers come to town Monday to face the Warriors, they do so with a 27-4 record, the best start in franchise history, outpacing the 2016 championship team featuring LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
The Cavs have won six consecutive games, all by double digits, with an average margin of 19 points – the exact margin of their win over Golden State last month in Cleveland, which followed a sweep of the Warriors last season.
It’s a daunting proposition for Golden State (16-15), which hopes to use a six-game homestand to generate momentum into 2025. Tipoff at Chase Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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The task is tall, figuratively and literally, for the Warriors. Cleveland’s starting frontcourt is massive, with 6-foot-9 small forward Dean Wade, 7-foot power forward Evan Mobley and 6-foot-11 center Jarrett Allen.
How, exactly, do they find a way to defeat a team that seems built to own them?
The Warriors might have discovered a blueprint for success in the second half of their 136-117 loss on Nov. 8 in Cleveland. Golden State had eight steals and forced 13 turnovers that led to 25 points, largely by increasing tempo.
The bench was primarily responsible for the second-half surge. Though it came after the Cavs built a 41-point lead in the first half, that’s a potential path to success.
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For the Warriors, that would begin with another stellar performance from Jonathan Kuminga, for whom the Cavs have no individual answer. Brandin Podziemski, on the rise in recent games, must continue that trend. Buddy Hield will need to rediscover his shot. Moses Moody, listed as probable with left knee soreness, will need to deliver at both ends.
Above all, Dennis Schröder, who was not with the Warriors last month, will have to be factor. He’s the ringleader of the second unit and, therefore, responsible for the second unit. He’ll need to orchestrate the offense but also bring a spark to the defense.
The Warriors in the last meeting didn’t bring early pace and in the halfcourt and were reluctant to get into the bodies of Cleveland’s rim protectors – Allen and Mobley played a combined 57 minutes yet committed only one foul – and often wound up taking bad shots that launched the Cavs into transition.
If Golden State’s starters can stay aggressive and keep things close, its bench will have an opportunity to be the deciding factor against the defensively inconsistent Cleveland bench.