Golden State Warriors at 5-3: Five Straight Wins Ahead of Thursday's Game vs. Miami

The Golden State Warriors are 5-3 as of Wednesday, November 4. They have won five games in a row since losing their first three. The latest win was a 116-113 home game against the Phoenix Suns, and Miami comes to San Francisco on Thursday, November 5, with the game on NBA TV.

For the roster, the full schedule and how the team is put together, see our Golden State Warriors guide. This story covers the past week and what comes next.

From 0-3 to five straight

The season opened badly. Golden State lost 127-105 to the Lakers in Los Angeles, then lost 111-108 at home to Memphis, then 131-122 in Phoenix. That was three losses in a row, all of them on nights when the defense gave up 111 points or more.

The team turned it around on a two-game road trip through the Mountain and Central time zones. They beat Denver 134-114, the most points they have scored this season, and then beat Minnesota 119-114. Back home, they beat the Lakers 112-95. That was a 17-point win over the team that beat them by 22 on opening night, and the 95 points are the fewest Golden State has allowed this season. Next came a 124-112 win over the Clippers, then Monday's three-point win over Phoenix, which evened the season series with the Suns.

What the numbers say

Through eight games, Golden State has scored 940 points and allowed 917. That works out to about 117.5 points scored and 114.6 allowed per game, or a margin of about plus-2.9. The margin hides how much things have changed. In the three losses, the Warriors were outscored by 34 points combined. In the five wins, they outscored opponents by 57.

The Warriors are 3-1 at Chase Center and 2-2 on the road. Close games have been the test. Two wins came by five points or fewer, against Minnesota and Phoenix, and the three-point loss to Memphis was the only home loss. Holding on late has decided the record so far.

The opponents during the streak matter too. Denver and Minnesota are two of the West's most physical teams, and beating both on the road changed how this start looks. The schedule also puts Golden State against its Pacific Division rivals early. Six of the first eight games were against the Lakers, Clippers and Suns.

Rotation and health

The main question in the rotation this fall has been how Steve Kerr sets up the lineup around the defense. The five-game streak has mostly come from defense. Golden State allowed 123 points per game during the 0-3 start and about 109.6 per game during the streak. Our Warriors guide keeps the latest roster and availability updated as the team announces it, including who is listed before Thursday's game.

What's next

Miami is the next home game, on Thursday, November 5, on NBA TV. It will be the first game against an Eastern Conference team and a chance to stretch the streak to six. The full slate for the rest of November is in the schedule section of our team page, with dates, opponents and TV listings.

No prices for Thursday's game were posted on this site's board as of Wednesday. Once markets open, they will show there along with lines from venues including Novig.