Given how each side’s summer went, it was hard to predict that the Warriors would arrive at this point in better form. Miami still don’t recognise themselves with Giannis Antetokounmpo as their star, even though they come off a happy night with a game-winner from Klay Thompson. This will be a fresh test of what they are made of against opponents of greater substance.
Warriors vs Heat date and time
Date: 5 November 2026, in the early hours of the 6th according to the European time zone.
Time: These are the Warriors vs Heat start times by time zone.
| United Kingdom | 03:00 |
| Dominican Republic, USA (Boston, New York and Miami), Puerto Rico and Venezuela | 22:00 |
| Mexico (central), USA (Texas and Chicago), El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua | 20:00 |
| Mexico (Pacific) and USA (Los Angeles) | 18:00 |
| Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay | 23:00 |
| Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama | 21:00 |
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco (California)
Warriors vs Heat starting fives
The confirmed absentees are Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Gui Santos and Moses Moody. Miami have everyone available.
| WARRIORS | HEAT |
|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | Davion Mitchell |
| Brandin Podziemski | Klay Thompson |
| Yaxel Lendeborg | Andrew Wiggins |
| Will Richard | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| Draymond Green | Bam Adebayo |
Warriors vs Heat: best bet
The Warriors start as heavy favourites with the main bookmakers. Above all, that is because Miami played an overtime game less than 24 hours ago, while Golden State have had three days’ rest, which means a lot for Stephen Curry’s legs. Even so, it may be an exaggeration for a team whose defence sits in the bottom third of the league and who lack the physicality to stop the Heat’s frontcourt pairing.
Latest Warriors news: injuries and form
- Absentees: Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Gui Santos and Moses Moody
The Warriors have received news that Kristaps Porzingis may retire without honouring his contract with the franchise. It is not being paid because of his lack of attendance at team activities.
The only thing Golden State need care about now is that Stephen Curry looks to be in optimal shape, putting up MVP numbers, and has found in Yaxel Lenderborg a perfect ally who can cover any role that Curry and Steve Kerr need.
They began the season with three defeats, but since then they have only counted wins, with five in a row.
Player to watch: Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is enjoying yet another youth. At this stage, you might imagine he would get by on catch-and-shoot threes from the corner and the top of the key without much wear and tear. Nothing could be further from the truth for a player who still has the legs to run all game and still has the explosiveness to drive inside when the defender bites on a fake. He is averaging exactly 30 points with 43% from three.
Latest Heat news: injuries and form
- Absentees: No notable absences.
Not everything is bad in Miami. The team has shown it can win games where it is a case of rolling up the sleeves, even against serious opponents such as the Atlanta Hawks. They would be a middling side to check in on occasionally, capable of stringing together a run of wins depending on the schedule. The problem is that, once you go all in on Giannis, the only objective must be the ring.
Spoelstra seems to be gradually working out the coexistence of Adebayo and Antetokounmpo, although the Greek often goes off script by losing his patience and is having problems with decision-making. What is still not working is the defence, which remains among the five worst in the league and concedes the most threes. Bad news when visiting Curry.
Player to watch: Giannis Antetokounmpo
We cannot say anything else about a player who has just scored 29, 24, 31, 30 and 27 points in his last five games, while also showing his most dominant version on the boards. Perhaps the key is that the more of a centre he is the better, staying away from the ball so the rest can fit in at their own pace.
Warriors vs Heat: head-to-head record
A very even history, led by the Warriors by just 38-37 over the 36 years these teams have been meeting. Golden State won the most recent game, but the reality is that this balance is also reflected in recent meetings, with 5-5 in the last 10.
Warriors vs Heat predictions
Stephen Curry over 4.5 threes. The point guard is having a spectacular start to the season, averaging 30 points and 4.5 threes per game. He also comes off three consecutive games making at least five shots from the perimeter. Miami are having huge problems defending the three, being one of the worst teams in the NBA in this area.
Giannis Antetokounmpo over 10.5 rebounds. The Greek is averaging 12.5 rebounds at the start of the season and comes off grabbing 14 against the Clippers, in a game that needed overtime. Although Draymond Green is a particularly uncomfortable defender for him, his physical superiority and ability to dominate the glass should give him enough opportunities to clear this line. That said, the accumulated fatigue after the 41 minutes played yesterday needs watching.
Davion Mitchell over 7.5 assists. Miami’s point guard is one of the team’s main playmakers, averaging 8.3 assists per game. His ability to find open teammates will be especially important against a Warriors side that forces you to move the ball a lot to find offensive advantages. If Miami want to compete in San Francisco, Mitchell will have to take on a large share of the responsibility for creating play.
Where to watch Warriors vs Heat
The game between Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat will be available to watch in the UK via an NBA League Pass subscription.
