The Warriors are lighting up the Heat the way I imagine the Heat would be lighting up the Warriors. Oddly, the Warriors showed disciplined defense and plenty of hustle for rebounds and rotations, which we normally don’t expect or see from them. But for two quarters and two quarters only, the Warriors looked like a playoff team.
Normally, I would be ecstatic that the Warriors are this far ahead. But there’s some reason for pause. The Warriors are living at the 3-point line making 10-16. Dorell Wright leads all Warriors with 4 3-pointers and leads all Warriors in scoring with 20 points… AT THE HALF! What I find so problematic about the way the Warriors are winning, at least offensively, is that their too reliant on being “hot” from the perimeter. Granted, the ball rotation has been impressive and the Warriors have actually gotten a ton of open looks. There’s little one-on-one Monta Ellis circus shots.
But the disparity in points could soon vanish as easily as it was built up if the Warriors go cold. The Heat are playing some of the worst defense imaginable (but witnessable at Warrior games on a regular basis), but the way that Dwyane Wade and Lebron James are coasting makes me think that come the second half, they will soon take over. They did it last time both teams met at the Oracle. You can bet Wade and Lebron will do it again.
Problematic stats #2: Warriors have 11 personal fouls and the Heat only 3. The free throw disparity is small, but the Heat have attempted twice as many free throws already. With the ability to Wade, Chris Bosh, to draw fouls (otherwise known as the ‘superstar calls’), there’s no reason why the Heat can’t climb back into this 14 point deficit within minutes.
The Warriors have played an incredibly efficient first half and the two turnovers has a lot to do with it. I expect the Heat to turn up the defensive intensity in the second half and I suspect that Lebron will make it his personal mission to stop Dorell Wright from scoring again this game. Dwyane Wade will shut down Monta Ellis, no doubt. Ellis may have 16 points already, but the Heat are just too disciplined, smart and prideful to let the Warriors “stars” tear through them with such ease.