League Pass game of the day: Warriors at Cavaliers

Tied for first place in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors will visit the NBA’s last remaining undefeated team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Two of the best teams in the NBA this season are looking for a huge win, but only one can come out on top. Here are the five things to know about this matchup on Friday. 
1. The Cavaliers are undefeated. One undefeated team is left standing in the NBA — the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Kenny Atkinson as the new head coach, Cleveland has roared out to a 9-0 start. The Cavaliers’ hot start has been emphatically punctuated by a massive plus-12.6 point differential.
2. However, Golden State has been just as good. The Warriors start the season at 7-1, with their lone loss at home to the LA Clippers. The Warriors have a point differential of plus-15.8, which is best in the NBA.
3. Steph Curry is coming off his best game. The Warriors’ loss against the Clippers could have proven particularly disheartening, as Curry left that game with an ankle injury. With Curry missing the following 3 games, Golden State did not let up and were able to take home three wins. Curry has been back for two games, and he just dropped 27 points with 9 assists and 7 rebounds against the defending champs, the Boston Celtics.
4. Cleveland’s core four is crushing it. If the Cavaliers remain formidable, they could have an outside shot at four All-Stars. Darius Garland (52.3%) and Donovan Mitchell (48.5%) are boasting career-best field goal percentages. Evan Mobley is averaging a career-high 17.2 points per game and Jarrett Allen is pulling out a career-best 11.9 rebounds per contest. 
5. Buddy Hield’s production: Buddy Hield has been a positive addition to the Warriors. He’s splashing 3-pointers, taking 9.1 per game and making 50.7% of them. Time will tell if Hield can sustain his hot shooting, but he’s proving to be one of the best marksmen in the NBA.