Post#3 » by ecuhus1981 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 4:19 pm
There's no place like home.
After a long road trip, I'm sure our guys are glad to be back on Brooklyn. This one should be an highly competitive game in terms of strategy, though neither team has their full roster available.
Jevon will get the start on place of the recently injured Harris, even though none of us are particularly thrilled about Carter's level or style of play when in an expanded role. At minimum, JC allows us to have two point-of-attack defenders in the 1st unit, along with Bruce. In this way, both Curry and Poole see 94-foot defensive attention. Patty is clearly the better player, but he doesn't offer that level of ballhawkiness. Plus, his offensive synergy with LaMarcus buoys the entire 2nd unit, and we need that balance to prevent momentum shifts from the opposition.
Like always, we need James to be James, in order to beat a tough opponent. KD has been on a mission all season, and I think he'll be particularly motivated tonight. Not because he's facing his former team, but because he wants to establish himself as the leading candidate for MVP. The best way to do that is to outduel the main challenger. Beyond that, our guys know their roles. We don't need anyone to play above their heads, just because we are down a couple of key players. Do your job to the best of your ability, and trust in your teammates. We are enough; attempting to do too much is a recipe for disaster.
Some would say the Dubs are our toughest matchup to date; they own the league's best record, the best +/- and they are the deep stats darlings of the early season. They certainly have the stars, the athletes and the shooters to boat race us, if we fail to bring our best.
The secret sauce to their success is their bench. Iggy looks rejuvenated in the Bay, playmaking and hustling like the good ol days. Payton II is a defensive ace and open court highlight reel. Lee, Porter and Bjelica can't stop hitting 3's. They rebound well, they don't turn it over and they even heat up passing lanes. If we allow their bench to pummel us with body blows, Steph is the master of re-entering the game with a knockout punch.
Of course, the general rule for bench units is that they play better at home than away. Golden State has only had 4 road games so far (compared to our 8), and 2 of those were in the state of California. I would expect some regression to the mean here.
Also, their strength of schedule through 13 games has been low. The two LA teams sound good on paper, but neither have been very good. Still, the wider margin of victories, and the fact that they've only lost by 3 and 4 points suggests that they're pretty legit.
Vegas and 538 have us as 3 to 3.5 point favorites, despite Joe's absence. I'll take their word for it, though keep in mind: GSW were never known to be the most gracious of losers. BCB's better be ready to fight for this W. Go Brooklyn!
Some people really have a way with words. Other people... not... have... way.
-- Steve Martin