This Tuesday night, two recent contenders in the NBA Finals will be NBA FINALSthe Golden State Warriors, with a 36-34 record, and the Miami Heat, with a 39-32 mark, will square off at the Kaseya Center.
Their last meeting in December resulted in a 114-102 victory for the Heat, but this time, the Warriors have home-field advantage.
Warriors Far From Playoffs
The Warriors find themselves in a precarious position, clinging to 10th place in the Western Conference, just one game ahead of the Houston Rockets. Despite their championship aspirations, Golden State's postseason prospects remain uncertain.
Currently immersed in a difficult road trip, time is running out for the team this season. Their offensive prowess, ranked 11th in the league, offers a glimmer of hope.
With the sixth best shooting efficiency percentage in the restricted area and the ninth best three-point shooting percentage, the Warriors also stand out in offensive rebounding. However, their Achilles heel lies in turnover percentage and free throw attempts, ranking 21st and 24th, respectively.
Defensively, the Warriors rank 18th in defensive rating, allowing an average of 118.6 points per game in their last five contests. While they effectively limit field-goal attempts in the restricted area, their success in defending them is poor, ranking 26th in the league.
Despite conceding numerous three-point shots, Golden State boasts a respectable No. 10 ranking in three-point shooting defense. Still, concerns persist about turnovers, free throw attempts allowed and defensive rebounds.
GAME DAY pic.twitter.com/R9qJLqRmaO
- Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 26, 2024
Miami's Quest for Momentum
Amid a perpetual succession of injuries, the Heat have managed to secure wins in four of their last six meetings leading up to this game. Miami's goal is consistent and basically boils down to moving up the standings and securing the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Armed with the eighth-best defensive rating, Miami relies on a suffocating defense to dominate its opponents. Their defensive prowess is highlighted by a turnover percentage, defensive rebounding percentage and free throw rate among the top ten in the league.
However, like the Warriors, they struggle to stop shots at the basket, ranking a modest 27th in this regard.
Although Miami concedes a significant amount of three-point attempts, they exhibit admirable defense against them, ranking 12th in the league. The question is whether the defensive approach will be effective this Tuesday.
Focusing on Miami's offensive strategy, they currently rank 27th in points per game and 23rd in offensive rating. Notably, they have the lowest frequency of shot attempts at the basket among NBA teams, preferring mid-range shots instead.
Consequently, their true shooting percentage languishes at 18th in the league. Despite ranking 10th in turnover percentage and eighth in free throw rate, Miami struggles with offensive rebounding, ranking a modest 24th.
While these statistics hint at potential, they do not guarantee consistent competitiveness for the Heat.
