OAKLAND -- In their last stop on the road to their 40th win of the season, the Warriors proved yet again that they are talented enough to overcome themselves.
It also helps when the opponent is mediocre, as was the case Sunday in a 120-118 thriller over the Heat before a sellout crowd (19,596) at Oracle Arena.
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The Warriors prevailed despite being profoundly outrebounded (49-36), soundly outshot from 3-point range (41.9 percent to 36.1) and, of course, outmuscled because that’s the one thing Miami does as well as any team in the NBA.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ 15th win in 16 games:
Shooters had to bring it, and they did
Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 93 points on 36-of-63 shooting from the field, including 12-of-30 from beyond the arc.
Golden State Warriors
Durant poured in 39 points despite draining only one 3-pointer -- a very important one with 44 seconds remaining. He was 16-of-24 from the field and 6-of-10 from the line.
Thompson scored 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 6-of-13 from deep.
Curry totaled 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep.
Without the scoring of these three, this would not have been much of a game. The seven other Warriors that played -- Andre Iguodala was out with a tight hamstring -- combined for 25 points.
How nice it is to have stars that can make big shots late in the game.
Trouble on the glass
Two days after allowing the Suns to grab 19 offensive rebounds and put up 20 second-chance shots, the Warriors were no better at keeping their opponent off the offensive glass.
The Heat, appreciably better than Phoenix on the offensive glass, grabbed nine in the first quarter and 19 for the game.
This continues to be a problem indicative of poor focus and fundamentals. Or maybe the Warriors don’t believe full dedication is needed to prevail against inferior teams.
Though the Warriors often talk of the need to “build good habits” over the course of the regular season, they are failing in this area.
Boogie’s Night, Pt. X
DeMarcus Cousins made a pair of clutch free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining to put away the game, so all’s well that ends well.
Cousins totaled seven points on 2-of-6 shooting, adding three rebounds, three blocks, two steals and one assist. He was minus-12 over 27 minutes.
Though Cousins continues to come along, his conditioning remains an issue that is revealed against young, aggressive centers of size. It was Deandre Ayton on Friday in Phoenix, and on Sunday it was Hassan Whiteside, particularly in the first half.
Whiteside grabbed 12 rebounds through three quarters, but was not a factor down the stretch because he’s not a part of Miami’s closing lineup.
This wraps up the game-by-game "Boogie’s Night" series, which was designed for the duration of his first 10 games.