Stopping The Unstoppable

The Golden State Warriors drive opponents crazy. They really make the opposition pay for every single mistake made. They are first in the league in three point percentage, but in their losses they struggle to shoot the three ball. The only way to beat this team is to be 100% focused on every single defensive possession. Typically this happens in the postseason, when teams are committed to playing defense. Barring the Spurs or the Grizzlies getting into the Warriors side of the playoffs they will cruise through the first two rounds. However once they hit the western conference finals and NBA finals they will run in to some trouble. The Hawks, Grizzlies, Spurs, and Cavaliers could give the Warriors trouble come playoff time.



If Steph or Klay is possessed one night good luck beating them, perfect defense cannot even stop these two sometime. These two run defenders through so many screens which makes it so tough to guard them.  Defenders need to lock in every possession, because the Warriors take advantage of any time their defender takes their eyes off one of them.  Here Westbrook and Allen are ball watching and takes their eyes off Steph and Klay for a second, they both cut to the basket and gets a wide open layup, help comes too late.






They do this on the three point line as well, which gives Steph and Klay that small window that they need to get what they consider to be a wide open three off.  For some reason defenders want to help out on the driving player and leave Steph or Klay wide open on the three point line.  Defenders do not do this when defending Kyle Korver so why would they do this with Klay or Step?















Other times defenders guard Steph and Klay tend to go in to help get the rebound, this does not seem to be the best idea.  Yes, the Warriors are not too scary on the offensive glass but if they do get a rebound and Steph or Klay's defender is in the paint a wide open three can follow.

Steph and Klay are going to get their shots, but defenders need to make them make those tough highlight shots not wide open ones.  This holds true in the transition game as well.  Here is a perfect example of Steph/Klay being wide open in transition.  If the defenders stuck with Steph and Klay the whole time the wide open threes would be prevented.
















Obviously if teams focus on stopping Klay and Steph on every possession it will provide good scoring opportunities for others like Harrison Barnes, Iggy, and Dramond Green.  But much to the belief of everyone the Warriors other players are not that great of shooters!  In the Warriors losses those three have shot poorly from the field and three point range, especially green.  Barnes shoots a high percentage, but Green (36%) and Iggy (35%) should not scare the opposition out there.  If those guys make their threes there is no stopping the Warriors.  So teams should live with those guys shooting threes.  A three point shot by green seems like a defensive possession win.


Here is a great example, Perkins closes out on Green way too hard and he cannot recover when Green decides not to shoot leading to an easy layup.  This play happens very often in the Warriors film, but is easily prevented if Perkins closes out with the mindset of Green can shoot the three but I am not giving him an easy layup.

Here the Hawks make three mistakes.  First once again a team fears Green from three causing him to penetrate.  Next Teague does not have his eyes on Curry the entire possession which leads to him panicking to try and contest Curry's shot.  Ultimately leading to a wide open three by Curry's standards. 

Attacking the Warriors defense is very troublesome.  On screens their big retreats to protect the paint, they rarely come out to stop the ball.  Leaving pull up jump shots, floaters, and pick and pops open.  The guard attacking the big is also a possibility, however their rim protectors make this tough.  These are not high percentage shots but these are the shots that need to be knocked down to beat them.  

 (Pull up 3)

(floater)

(pick and pop)

Unfortunately for the Warriors the Cavaliers and Spurs will give the Warriors tons of difficulties.  The Grizzlies can be included in this conversation as well but they do not provide as big as problem as the other two.  These teams provide many matchup problems. The Warriors thrive when Dramond plays the 4, but this makes them vulnerable to these teams.  When it comes to the Grizzlies the Warriors cannot handle both their bigs.  Green simply cannot guard Zbo one on one.   In situations like these the other defenders are aware of the mismatch, causing them to be very aware in case help is needed.  Often when the extra pass is made, wide open shots follow.  

In the case of the Cavaliers, the Warriors simply cannot stop Lebron.  Lebron dominated every possession when these two met.  Everytime down the floor it seemed as if Lebron knew there was nobody to guard him, and he took advantage of this.  Green, Iggy, Barnes all attempted to guard him and he would beat them most times.  The fact that he cannot be guarded one on one leads to defenders coming to help and wide open shots!  The Cavaliers can counter their small ball lineup by moving Lebron down to the 4 and putting another shooter at the 3.  

The Spurs provide the biggest problem for the Warriors.  They can throw two elite defenders at the Warriors.  Danny Green and Kawhi could lock down Steph and Klay.  If the Warriors go with their small ball lineup, Boris Diaw allows the Spurs to counter this.