On January 4, Beijing time, the two top favorite Warriors and the Heat launched a fierce competition in the regular season. In this campaign, the Heat's interior big player Bam Adebayo continues to be absent. However, the two teams still sacrificed high-quality offensive and defensive performances.
In the first half, the Warriors, led by Wiggins and Poole, played a smooth offense, and at one point achieved a 13-point lead. Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler led the Heat in their efforts to score points. At halftime, the Warriors led 59-54.
The Warriors led the Heat by five points at halftime
Wiggins went on a 16+4 rampage, and the Warriors led the Heat by 5 points! Green had 0 points and 10 assists, Curry had 7 points and 3 fouls!
In the first quarter, Martin scored from a rebound, Wiggins hit 2 consecutive long-range shots, and Butler hit 2 free throws. Wiggins scored two free throws and Poole scored three-pointers. Silva responded with a dunk, and Wiggins scored from the basket. Hiro threw a shot and Poole scored a three-pointer. Payton scored on the back-of-the-basket and the Warriors took a 10-point lead. Silva scored low, Porter hit a long-range shot, the Warriors continued to widen the point gap, and the Heat requested a timeout.
Jordan Poole attacked with the ball
Lowry hit a long-range shot, Silva hit all two free throws, pooled into the box to score, and then slammed into a three-pointer. Wiggins dunked and the Warriors went on a 7-0 offensive run, bringing the point difference to 13 points. Gay hit a long-range shot, Butler hit all 2 free throws and Bjelica scored on a layup. Gay scored another three-pointer and Poole responded 2+1. Martin scored on a layup and the first quarter was over, giving the Warriors a 33-25 lead.
In the second quarter, Bjelica and Cumminga scored points on the inside, and Lowry hit 2+1 again in color. Bjelica hit an empty three-pointer and the Heat asked for a timeout. Lowry hit the board, Hiro slammed in a three-pointer, Juvesset scored in the air, Hiro could hit a layup, and the Heat blasted a 9-0 small climax, with a point difference of only 3 points. The Warriors requested a timeout, and Curry hit a three-pointer to break the game's scoring drought. Lowry and Martin combined to score three three-pointers, and the Heat blasted a 18-3 offensive to surpass their opponents by 3 points.
Bjelica layup
Curry scored four consecutive points under the basket to break the scoring drought for the Warriors. Wiggins stormed the interior and scored four consecutive points, and the Warriors blasted an 8-0 offensive attack to honor their opponents. Butler scored on a jumper and Payton scored on a layup. Butler hit the board and Looney dunked. Butler scored singles against Wiggins, and the two teams clenched the score. Butler hit all two free throws and Curry was forced to take a break for his third foul. Payton dunked, and Poole assisted Looney to dunk again. At halftime, the Warriors led 59-54.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins played well in the first half. Wiggins, who played 17 minutes at halftime, shot 6-of-8, 2-of-3 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line, and scored 16 points and 4 boards. Wiggins, with a 75 percent shooting percentage, scored the highest score of the half. With Curry underperforming, Wiggins went on a spree on the offensive end. Wiggins also got the most rebounds in the half. Wiggins' brilliant play was the main reason why the Warriors once held a 13-point lead.
Wiggins
Warriors interior realist Drummond Green played 18 minutes in the half, shooting 0-of-1, 1-of-1 three-pointer, 0 free throws, 0 points, 3 boards, 10 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Green, is the king of assists in the half. Under Green's tandem, the Warriors achieved multi-point blossoming, which was a key factor in their halftime game, still maintaining the score lead.
Warriors Drummond Green
Warriors star Stephen Curry played 15 minutes in the half, shooting 3-of-10 from 3-of-10, 1-of-5 from three-point range, 0 free throws, 7 points, 4 assists, 1 block, and 3 fouls. Curry, who shot just 30 percent from the field in the first half. Curry, who had two fouls in the first quarter, was cut off from playing time. Curry's long-range shooting is also not good, with only 20% three-point shooting rate. However, Curry's consecutive scores in the second quarter are an important reason why the Warriors can withstand the Heat's offense.
Warriors Stephen Curry
Half-time stats for both teams
Warriors: Wiggins 16 points, 4 boards, Poole 14 points, 1 board, 3 assists, Curry 7 points, 4 assists, 1 block, 3 fouls, Green 0 points, 3 boards, 10 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, Payton 6 points and 2 boards, Looney 4 points and 3 boards, Porter 3 points and 2 assists 2 blocks, Cuminga 2 points and 2 boards, Bjelica 7 points
Heat: Butler 12 points, 5 boards and 2 assists, Martin 10 points and 6 boards, Lowry 11 points, 3 boards and 4 assists, Hiro 7 points and 3 assists, Ute Severn 2 points and 5 boards, Gay 6 points and 1 board, Silva 6 points and 4 boards.