The Cleveland Cavaliers (14-10, 8th in Eastern Conference) host the Golden State Warriors (11-12, 8th in Western Conference) at Rocket Arena on Saturday. Both teams have struggled recently, and injuries have been the reason why. Here are three key storylines to know heading into Saturday’s matchup between Golden State and Cleveland (7:30 ET, NBA TV).
Injury bug is biting the Warriors
Golden State started the season strong, posting a 9-6 record through 15 games, but they enter this matchup losing six of their last eight fixtures. Injuries directly coincide with that recent slide. Stephen Curry remains out with a quad issue, while Jimmy Butler III missed the most recent outing with a knee injury. Additionally, Draymond Green is out with a foot injury, though he was able to participate in shootaround. This team can’t afford injuries to its three superstars, especially given the state of this offense. The Warriors currently sit 22nd in points scored and 23rd in offensive efficiency. Being that far down in those categories is unfamiliar territory for this Warriors team. This puts an additional onus on Golden State’s role players to step up on the offensive end.
The Cavaliers are looking to end their recent slide
Cleveland shocked the NBA world when they had a 64-18 record last season, but this season has been a bumpier ride to this point. The Cavs already have 10 losses, entering this matchup losing four of their last six fixtures. For context, Cleveland didn’t drop its 10th game until Feb. 4 last season. Donovan Mitchell has done everything he can to end this slump, averaging a career-high 30.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game. As long as he keeps doing that, Cleveland will get out of this early season turbulence and get back to cruising altitude.
Potential defensive struggle?
The Warriors’ defense has been able to keep the team afloat during this difficult stretch on offense. They currently rank fifth in defensive efficiency and sixth in points allowed. Cleveland’s defense is stout, too, ranked 11th in defensive efficiency and 12th in points allowed. Both teams were also top 10 in defensive efficiency last season, and the Warriors might have to lean on the defense here to dictate the terms. That’ll be difficult to do since the Cavs have 130 and 135 points in their two most recent victories, so it’ll be fascinating to see which team has the edge when it comes to Cleveland’s offense or Golden State’s defense.
