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Seven keys to beating 20-0 Warriors -- and 5 teams that fit the bill

Published Dec. 3, 2015 12:10 p.m. ET

Jovan Buha

With their win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors moved to a ridiculous 20-0, extending their NBA record start to the season.

Contrary to what you might have heard, there’s no “luck” involved. The Dubs are destroying opponents by an average of 15.4 points per game, and 16.7 points per 100 possessions. They have the game’s best shooter and player in Stephen Curry, its best offense, a top-5 defense, and the league’s deepest roster. They've uncorked a five-man lineup -- Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson and Curry -- that is basically unstoppable, posting a +69.9 net rating in 64 minutes. Surely, it's a small sample size, but that’s still ridiculous.

Barring something catastrophic, Golden State is going to finish with the best regular-season record and will almost certainly be heavy favorites to repeat as champions. And if they keep up this level of play, or something close to it, they will be an all-time great team -- if they aren't already.

This poses a legitimate question: Can anyone stop the Warriors? Seriously. It sounds hyperbolic, but it has to be asked at this point. They’re going to probably lose a few regular season games -- though how many is anyone’s guess -- but can anybody beat this team four times in seven tries? What are the Dubs’ weaknesses, if they even have any?

The Warriors might be as close to unbeatable as a team gets within its era. We have no idea. But if you want to dethrone them, here are a few things you need to do to have a chance (especially when they go small):

Play small ball effectively

You probably can’t beat the Warriors with two plodding big men -- even if they’re playing Green at center. The Memphis Grizzlies proved that in last season’s playoffs, although it's fair to note that Memphis did take two games off the Warriors in that series. So that's not to say you have to go small for the entire game to try to match Golden State. A versatile big-man combo can do some damage to the Warriors, especially on the glass, as evidenced by the Utah Jazz earlier this week.

Still, to beat the Warriors, you'll likely need to outlast small ball at some point by going small yourself. Teams need a versatile big man and a wing capable of sliding up to power forward, completing a four-out system. The lone big should be able to hold his own on the glass and at least occasionally make Golden State pay inside. On the other end, he has to be able protect the rim and still stick with Green. Such players are rare, though, which is why the Dubs’ smaller lineups pose so many problems. Jazz center Rudy Gobert was a good example earlier this week, as his mere presence deterred Warriors' attempts at the rim, forcing Golden State to live by the jumper for stretches.

Neutralize their 3-point advantage

This is easier said than done. The Warriors are likely the greatest shooting team in NBA history. This season, Golden State leads the league in 3-pointers made and is second in attempts, yet on defense they allow the fewest made 3-pointers and the second-fewest attempts. Because the Warriors obliterate most opponents in the 3-point battle, the ideal opponent has to at least keep up with them -- but preferably win the fight. Your defense must be dedicated to running them off the line consistently, even if it means potentially giving up an open mid-range look. Even then, it’s almost impossible to stop them from generating 3s, so you need to make sure you’re finding high-percentage looks yourself. The Warriors are too disciplined defensively to give up treys against iso-heavy or rudimentary offensive sets, however, making stellar ball movement a necessity. You want a lot of screen-and-roll action, some trickery off the ball, and high-IQ passing to bend and, ultimately, break their defense.

Take care of the ball

Arguably the worst thing you can do against the Warriors -- besides leaving Curry unattended behind the 3-point line -- is turn the ball over and ignite their lethal transition game. The Dubs have at least three players capable of leading a fast break on the floor at all times, and the threat of their shooting opens up either lanes to the rim or high-percentage 3-pointers. Neither is ideal. While the Warriors can still effortlessly create transition opportunities off of stops and even off of makes -- they’re first in fast-break points -- they’re especially dangerous when you turn it over (they rank fifth in points off turnovers). Don’t do that.

Pick your poison

Opposing defenses face a crucial decision when playing the Warriors: Do you focus on stopping Curry and making his teammates beat you, or do you let him get his and limit everyone else? There is no right answer. The only correct answer is not letting both go off, which is far too often the case. If you pay too much attention to Curry, the other Warriors will make you pay. But if you divert your attention from Curry for even a moment, you’re done too. Again, no one has figured out the “right” way to stop the Dubs’ offense. You just have to focus your attention on one or the other and pray. Whatever you do, however, do not trap Curry. If you do, and if there is a single crack in your defense as the rest of the Warriors play 4-on-3, Draymond Green is going to get the ball in his hands, and he's going to make a play, and you're going to be left shaking your head as the ball goes through the net.

Learn from your mistakes

One of the Warriors’ greatest attributes -- and this is a testament to the brilliance of Steve Kerr and Luke Walton -- is making on-the-fly, in-game adjustments. If the Dubs sense a mismatch of some sort, whether it’s a particular defender or the way a team defends a particular set, they will exploit it immediately. A couple weeks ago, the Warriors made an epic comeback against the Clippers after the Clips kept showing and trapping Curry-Green pick-and-rolls, resulting in Green playing 4-on-3 and simply finding the open shooter. Andre Iguodala in the right corner. Boom. Iguodala in the left corner. Bang. Game over. If the Warriors burn you a couple times, adjust accordingly. Also, play your best lineups. Every minute counts.

Win the rebounding battle

Whether you decide to go big or go small, you can't let the Warriors get extra opportunities on the offensive glass when they do miss. Similarly, any second-chance points you can gather on the other floor will prove invaluable. During significant stretches of the Finals, the Cavaliers were able to bully the smaller Warriors on the glass, seemingly grabbing every other offensive rebound opportunity. That kind of work on the boards is absolutely essential to minimizing Golden State's advantage.

You'll need a little good fortune

As the Grizzlies and Cavaliers showed in last season’s playoffs, if you can grind the game to a halt and muck it up with your defense, you have an outside chance at slowing down the Warriors. But even that usually isn’t enough. You need something more: luck. You need them to have an off shooting night. You need Curry to revert to old habits against pressure and recklessly turn the ball over. You need Thompson to disappear in big moments. You need no one else to step up as a secondary scorer. You need injuries and foul trouble to their rotation players. In other words, you need a lot to go right, and that is primarily out of your control.

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The contenders

Who, if anyone, matches the above criteria? Well, here are five teams fit the bill, and these shouldn’t come as much of a surprise:

1. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are the Warriors’ biggest threat. They have the talent and versatility to go big or small, and would arguably have the three best players on the floor besides Curry in a playoff series. Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green are probably the best tandem of perimeter defenders in the league. LaMarcus Aldridge and Tim Duncan could theoretically cause myriad problems for the Dubs, and Aldridge is versatile enough to matchup with Green in small-ball lineups. Gregg Popovich would discover unorthodox ways to counter the Warriors’ small-ball attack. The Dubs would still be the favorites, but the Spurs should give them the most trouble.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs, despite playing without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, were still competitive in last year’s Finals, which gives them the slight edge over the Thunder. Adding Love and Irving comes with slippage defensively, but it also puts two above-average shooters and bona fide offensive options on the floor for a team that is otherwise lacking in both regards. Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov may be lumbering and limited on offense, but they can pound the offensive glass and protect the rim. Iman Shumpert can make things tough on the Splash Bros. When healthy, the Cavs have the depth, size and shooting to keep up with the Dubs. And, of course, LeBron James.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are the one team that, when using their best lineup, can actually match up with the Warriors’ athleticism and position-less versatility. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are arguably the two best one-on-one scorers in the league, and are capable of matching or even surpassing Curry’s brilliance individually, let alone together. Serge Ibaka is the rare 3-and-D big man, capable of spreading the floor, protecting the rim and switching onto perimeter players. Steven Adams and Enes Kanter are impossible to keep off the offensive glass. Defensively, the Thunder’s length can be daunting. If Billy Donovan can discern the right lineups and rotations, OKC can give Golden State fits.

4. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers have proved they can hang with the Warriors. They were the last team to beat them in a playoff series, and over the duration of the “rivalry,” Chris Paul & Co. have typically defended Curry about as well as you can (the past few meetings notwithstanding). The issue is that the Clips can’t make the Warriors pay for playing small -- DeAndre Jordan can’t score in the post, and Blake Griffin struggles against hyperactive defenses that double and force him to make quick decisions. The Clippers’ wing rotation is still a mess, and it’s unclear who should close games alongside their starting quartet. A matchup between these two, more than one with any of these other teams, would come down to the Clippers’ lineups and Doc Rivers’ adjustments.

5. Houston Rockets

Hold your laughter. Yes, the Rockets have to make the playoffs first. But assuming they get their act together and rally, they have the composition of a team that can give the Dubs some problems. Houston has a handful of long, athletic wings who excel in a fast-paced, 3-point-chucking environment. They also have a superstar in James Harden who is capable of going toe-to-toe with Curry. The X-factor is Dwight Howard’s health. If he’s at full strength, he can pound Green inside and possibly get the Warriors to play Andrew Bogut or Festus Ezeli, making them slightly less effective (though still nearly unbeatable). If he’s not 100 percent, though, the Warriors will expose him and run him off the floor. They’re ruthless, and that’s why they’re 20-0.

Jovan Buha covers the NBA for FOX Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @jovanbuha.