The Golden State Warriors won a must-win game at home in dominant fashion, 121 to 106, extending their series with the Lakers for a sixth game back in Los Angeles on Friday night. Once again, they are going to play another game that will dictate the fate of the season and the future direction of the organization. 

Game 6 will be the most challenging game of the season for the Warriors. To extend their season and force a Game 7 at Chase Center, they have to do something they have only done 11 times during the regular season: Win on the road.

The first key is that Golden State needs to stick to starting small. For the past two games, they have gone with a lineup of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Gary Payton II. That lineup has changed the series' tone on both ends of the court. By the Warriors starting small with GP2, they can space the floor and push the pace on offense. More importantly though, they can switch on defense with virtually any matchup.  

“Gary is a game changer. We know that last year, we don’t win the championship without Gary. Getting him back has completely changed our defense. We’re a different team now that he’s  back with us,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said postgame after last night’s victory.  

The Warriors are a better team with GP2 on the floor rather than on the bench. In 18 minutes on the court together, the small ball starting lineup was a plus-18, out-scoring the Lakers 53-35 in Game 5.  

Along with starting small, their next key is that they must be assertive and stay aggressive. The Warriors are a better team when they are engaged on defense and aggressive on offense, attacking the rim as a unit but specifically getting Andrew Wiggins downhill.

“This has been the best game Wiggs has played since he returned. The way he attacked, the way he got to the rim, that adds another dimension to our attack,” Kerr added in his presser after discussing GP2.  

An electrified Wiggins played his most complete game of the postseason in Game 5. In 36 minutes, he was efficient from the field, scoring 25 points on 10 of 18 shooting from the field, playing lock-down defense on LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and securing seven rounds and five assists. Recent injury nows suggests that Wiggins may be questionable due to a rib injury sustained in that game, but his length and athleticism should help him compensate for any lack of physicality.

When he is aggressive and engaged on both ends of the floor by driving to the rim, finishing put back dunks, and locking down the opponent's best offensive player, Golden State is nearly impossible to defeat. Wiggs has been their x-factor since last season and continues to be so now.

The final and most critical key, however, for the Warriors in Game 6 is having a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Throughout their dynasty, their prolific offense has been highlighted by spacing the floor, running in transition, and effectively passing the ball to get the best possible shot. Unfortunately, it’s also been characterized as turnover-prone when those passes get sloppy.

Per Statmuse, since May 11th, 2015, when Golden State records thirty or more assists, they have a record of 244 wins and 36 losses. This insane state shows that when they move the ball at a high, efficient, and safe level, resulting in more than thirty assists in a game, they are almost impossible to defeat. 

Game 6 will be a high-intensity, high-pressure game with many emotions from the players. If the Warriors can keep on the pressure, play fundamentally sound basketball, and have a positive assist-to-turnover ratio, they will be in great shape to extend their record to 29 straight playoff series of having at least one win on the road, and will have a shot to complete the comeback at Chase Center after.

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