Yes, teams are catching up to what they do. I was watching the Warriors vs an eastern conference team prior to the All-Star Break. The commentators were talking about a discussion with their coach. The coach was telling them that they were unfamiliar with the Warriors style because they only see them twice a year. Now they are figuring out their cutter-system. I believe it to be true. Their 3-point shooters get your attention while they hit you with cutters for easy baskets. Limit their easy points off cutters and you have a punchers chance.
Pretty much, the key to beating that team is to force anyone outside of Steph/Klay/KD to make perimeter shots, teams have to realize that the Warriors often use lineups with only 3, sometimes 2, floor spacers on the court. Stay glued on Curry/Klay/Durant and just sag off the non-shooters and play the passing lanes against them. OKC did that to tremendous effect in their two wins, Boston locked them up that way, and while we got burned by Young and Green catching fire from 3, we still won both of those games.
Yes, recently Barkley said the same. He said he would stay close to Curry, Klay, Durant on the perimeter; but leave Draymond open. I think the Rockets used that philosophy ....like you said, Draymond lit us up...but we won. We kept them to 108 points. Boston kept them to 105 points. That must have been the game. Brad Stevens is pretty smart....and that game was nationally televised. Edited: Luc MaM is very important because he anticipates those cutters well defensively. Results in deflections and turnovers. Coming from the Warriors Pacific division as a Clipper. CP3 also.
Golden state just doesn’t have the same “team” as years past. Ya they got KD now to go with Steph klay and green. They still got iggy and Livingston (both guys showing serious age) But they don’t have the Boguts and Barbosas of the world. They got swaggy p and Capi. Before the got KD they were extreamly deep. Rockets always held up with them during the Dwight years but once harden went out for rest in both teams second units hit the floor golden state would just kill it. Part of their problem is iggy just isn’t very good anymore. Atleast were he was a serious game changer on both sides. He’s lost a step on D and his three point shooting is gone. Livingston is not getting to his spots anymore for those mid range shots that seemed automatic. Really what it boils down to. Is green and klay more impactful than clint Gordon Ariza luc tucker and Anderson? I don’t think so. I’m prob delusional but I truely feel as long as we’re healthy we will beat the warriors in the playoffs and it won’t even go 7 games. Rockets are just the better deeper team. KD and harden cancel each other out curry and Paul play so different but the impact is similar I’d still favor Steph but the gap is not huge we’re the scale totally flips over our deeper team.
this in my mind its was always gsw role players that used to kill us... ps even in dwights last year we played them pretty evenly in playoffs until curry got injured... after that they destroyed us
Houston can't do anything once Warriors play their Death Squad more often. Here's how I see it. If Warriors bring their A game and Rockets bring their A game, it's a blow out. Why? Because if Warriors bring their A game, their defense will shut you down which result in bad shots and low shooting percentage. The ONLY reason I see the Rockets or any team for that matter that can beat the Warriors is the hope that they didn't bring their A game, that they struggle with their shots....that perhaps play their B game or worst instead.
No defense can shut down harden, you can only do so much vs him and hope he misses shots...so if its A game vs A game Rockets win
Their "Death Squad" of Curry, Thompson, Iggy, Durant, Green is only a plus 3.5 on the season, last year they were a plus 20.
