OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors held the Miami Heat to 80 points -- 12 points fewer than the previous lowest total they had allowed this season.

Defense won the game for the defending champs on Monday, as they captured their fourth consecutive win with a 97-80 outcome at Oracle Arena.

Both teams shot poorly.

The Warriors shot at a 37 percent clip, and the Heat at 36 percent. Miami could muster only 57 points going into the final quarter, and Golden State forced 23 turnovers, converting them into 28 points.

"I thought it was our best defensive effort of the year," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "It was tremendous. We forced 23 turnovers, we were attentive on our switching. ... I thought we made really good decisions out there."

It was the first game of the season in which the Warriors scored fewer than 100 points, but the Warriors outscored the Heat 26-4 on fast-break points.

"Those are backbreaking plays to give up almost 30 fast-break points, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "That would be a number for three games for us."

The Heat's best player, Hassan Whiteside, was limited to a season-low three points on 1-of-9 shooting. Whiteside lasted until the first 73 seconds of the third quarter before his night was over for good.

"Our bigs stayed attached, and we were able to keep him from getting anything easy," Kerr said.