The Warriors already are surging, but Golden State potentially will get an even bigger boost for Friday's matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Since De'Anthony Melton has been upgraded to questionable, there isn’t much more of an injury update to report. The Warriors say he has a chance of playing tomorrow night in Cleveland after missing the last 5 games to a lower back strain.
Forward Draymond Green (knee) and guard Brandin Podziemski also are questionable for Golden State's contest vs. Cleveland.
Draymond Green (right knee), De’Anthony Melton (lower back) and Brandin Podziemski (illness) are all questionable for tomorrow night’s Warriors game in Cleveland.
Podziemski left Monday's game with an illness and was held out of Wednesday's game, while Green appeared on the injury report after playing 30 minutes in Golden State's 118-112 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday at TD Garden.
The Warriors have dealt with their share of injuries to begin the 2024-25 NBA season, with Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Melton and Podziemski -- all key rotational pieces -- missing games early in the campaign.
That hasn't slowed down Golden State, as the Warriors have flexed their incredible depth at every turn, racing out to a 7-1 start that includes a perfect 5-0 road record despite the constant changes to their rotations.
With Melton and Podziemski potentially returning to the fold, Golden State could receive a significant boost as it seeks to hand the NBA's lone-remaining undefeated team its first loss of the season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers: A Historic Start
The undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers are riding high as they host the Golden State Warriors, who are coming off a statement victory over the Boston Celtics. Today's game is available on multiple streaming services for free. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The NBA’s lone undefeated team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, welcome in the Golden State Warriors for a marquee matchup today – Friday, Nov. 8 – at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. The game is available to watch on multiple streaming services for free.
This game will be broadcast live on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio (formerly Bally Sports Ohio) and the NBC Sports Bay Area with tipoff at 7:38 p.m. Eastern. Fans who have parted ways with their cable provider can catch the game at no cost by taking advantage of streaming alternatives like DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial. FuboTV is also offering a free trial and $20 off your first month.
The Cavs (9-0) are off to the best start in franchise history, achieving their latest win by outlasting the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 6.
Kenny Atkinson became the first head coach to start 9-0 in the first year with a new team. His old team will be across the court on Friday night.
The former three-year assistant under Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has blossomed into an early frontrunner for Coach of the Year, igniting a Cavs offense that was dormant for years behind a stellar defense. His three years at Golden State has crafted a serious threat after just nine games. Tonight, he gets to showcase his own creation.
Cleveland's Offense: Historic and Lethal
The Cavs offense is not just prolific, it’s historic. Cleveland scored 130 points for the fourth time this season, tying their total all of last year.
Cleveland touts a plus-12.6 point differential and currently lead the league in shooting percentage at 52.6%. It ranks second in the NBA in 3-point percentage (42%), with a particularly lethal array of corner 3-point shooting.
The fast-paced style whispered about in preseason camp has been unleashed on the Association.
Donovan Mitchell hasn‘t needed to rescue Cleveland like previous years. Instead, he can sit back and watch their offense pick defenses apart from nearly every angle. A welcomed sight for a centerpiece that was exhausted down the stretch in last year’s playoff run.
Strength in Numbers: The Core Four
A mantra of Golden State in the LeBron James finals rivalry, it’s the Cavs who now have Strength in Numbers. But they prefer to call it the Core Four.
Mitchell is averaging 23.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting a career-best 48.5%.
Point guard Darius Garland has returned to All-Star form, tallying 19.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists. He is shooting a career-best 52.3% from the field.
Power forward Evan Mobley is averaging a career-high 17.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 52.5% from the field.
Center Jarrett Allen rounds out the unit with 15.1 points, a career-best 11.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 68.8% from the field, which is the fourth-highest percentage in the NBA.
The depth carries into the bowels of the bench where the Cavs have three more players averaging 7.9 points or higher. Caris LeVert powers the reserves with 12.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 59.6% from the field, which is the 12th-highest percentage in the NBA.
Guards Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill also pack a timely punch.
Cleveland will need to shore up their 3-point defense (38.5%), which is near the bottom of the league. The Warriors shot 41.2% from beyond the arc against the Celtics and are averaging 16.1 3-pointers per game while knocking down 39.3%.
The Golden State Warriors: A Familiar Dynastic Surge
The Warriors (7-1) would be the hottest team in the NBA if it was not for the Cavs' historic start. Golden State has won five in a row and handed the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics their second loss of the season.
They are tied with the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the Western Conference.
Familiar dynastic gears are starting to turn for Golden State after drama-filled campaigns took over the league powerhouse. The Warriors are third in the league in offensive rating with a 119.3 and continue to fine tune their firepower. They are pacy and are leaning on their familiar small-ball approach from prior years.
Golden State has not lost a game on the road this season. Their only loss was to the Los Angeles Clippers, where 4-time NBA champion Stephen Curry injured his ankle and proceeded to miss the next three games.
In five games, Curry is averaging 21.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.0 assists while shooting 43.8% from the field.
In his absence, it was shooting guard Buddy Hield who seized the moment. In what appears to be a breakout season, Hield is averaging 21.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 51.7% from the field.
Cleveland villain Draymond Green remains an all-around threat at power forward. He is averaging 8.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists while shooting 44.7% from the field. Green is questionable with a knee contusion.
The Warriors are 7-2 against the Cavs since the 2019-20 season. Cleveland won both games last season. Can the Cavs reach 10-0, or will Golden State sharpen the knife even further?
Can the Warriors Stop the Undefeated Cavs?
This game pits two of the NBA’s hottest teams against each other. The Warriors’ depth will be tested against the Cavs' potent offense. Golden State will need to play a tight, disciplined game to keep the Cavs from running away with the game. It will be interesting to see if the Warriors can contain the Cavs’ offensive firepower and hand them their first loss of the season.
