Fresh off a momentum-reigniting win in which Stephen Curry exploded for 46 points, the Golden State Warriors head into their rematch with the San Antonio Spurs looking to build on their new starting lineup with increased focus on shooting, defense, and basketball IQ needed to win consistently.
Head coach Steve Kerr made it clear that rookie Will Richard and Moses Moody will be starting moving forward as the Warriors aim to win back-to-back games over Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
Defeating the Spurs twice in one week, especially on the road, will be a challenging task that requires an even sharper approach.
The key to winning will be containing Wembanyama.
Keeping him as uncomfortable as possible on both ends might involve a bit of trickery, similar to what was seen in Wednesday's victory.
On offense, locating Wemby to dictate the point of attack while defensively demanding great play from the stretch bigs, Horford and Post, as well as baiting Wemby into help defense and exploiting it.
For the Warriors' offense, the game plan will depend on Curry's movement, whether he's scoring or not.
Seeing how he erupted Wednesday night, expecting the Spurs to be fully focused on stopping him means the next man must step up.
Jimmy Butler will be crucial in attacking mismatches and providing stability for Golden State.
The best perimeter defenders will be focused on Curry, and maximizing manipulation while staying aggressive will be key for Butler.
Jonathan Kuminga is doubtful for this rematch, but the impact from the Warriors' bench needs to be felt if they want to leave San Antonio with another win.
Buddy Hield is due for a big shooting night, and the Spurs' lack of three-point defense gives Hield the opportunity to get plenty of shots up, especially when playing with guys who know how to get him the ball.
If the second unit can at least be a positive, Golden State's starters will gain the margin needed to control pace and flow.
Limiting turnovers will prevent the quicker Spurs from running in transition for easy baskets.
The recipe for Warriors' success is clear -- they've already beaten the Spurs once, and as long as they stay even more locked in, the results should speak volumes about where the team stands.