ClutchFans Game Thread: Warriors @ Rockets 4/20/2025 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

No hype video yet?

 

Rockets 4-1

LFG!!

 

I don’t agree with this. We actually want Curry to go iso. He is .87 ppp in isolation, which is pretty bad for a star. He is also bad (and yes, I mean bad) at 3s off multiple dribbles.

To defend Curry, you want to stop his catch-n-shoot (including dribble resets, and single dribble off of hand-offs). You need switching defense to do that. Sure, Amen chasing Curry is great, bc of Amen’s ability to recover, when Curry inevitable gets perfect timing coming around a pick or DHO.

Here is what we currently do:

• Because of cross-matching, Amen lost Curry a lot after Houston misses, last game. So, cross-matching (due to Curry not defending Amen) dictates that our game plan must survive with others guarding Curry, a lot. (Example, since Curry will defend a guard, it is hard for Amen to take both the Dunker-Post role and find Curry in transition)
• Amen or not, we still like to switch Curry in GSWs split action
  • We switch when Curry is coming towards the ball (eg Wide Out screen and pin downs)
  • We don’t switch when Curry is going away from the ball (eg flares)
  • However, when GSW plays both Draymond and Looney, they with do curry/looney split-action forcing us to drop our big who is covering Looney. So those aren’t switches. But, imo, it’s a win to have looney and Green on the court together, for other reasons
• We won’t see Double Big when Curry is on the floor … ie Ime won’t play zone against Curry
• We welcome Curry in iso … although we game plan to not switch a big onto him, we drop

 

There are all good points. Amen guarded Curry one on one more than 50% of the time in the last game. I expect Kerr will adjust his offense and that won’t be possible, unless the refs continue to let us hold him off the ball. Amen was holding him, Dillon was holding him. You don’t want Curry to have the ball at all in the playoffs. I agree on the 2 man game with Adams. That is not going to be sustainable in the playoffs against a perimeter oriented team. Not only that Kerr is going to foul the hell out of Adams and Sengun and make them hit ft’s.

 

You’re too worried about this, imo

In the post-game interview: Kerr wasn’t talking about adjustments to help Curry, he was taking about Butler…basically conceding that there are ways to deny Curry the ball, and Curry iso isn’t a good alternative

Also, what do you mean “one-on-one.” Curry rarely initiated last game … it was almost all off-ball.

We want Curry to go iso

 

LETSS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Pile it on, basketball pundits. Show us your disrespect. Get our guys en fuego for the opener. And keep it up till the crow is fully cooked.

 

I just disagree. You don’t want Curry to have the ball iso or any other way in the playoffs. He is officiated differently in the playoffs than in the regular season. You let him iso, he is either going to kill you with 3’s or live at the FT line. The real battle of this series is Kerr vs. Ime.

 

Amen is just straight up mean. He threw Tyler Herro like a ragdoll and he beat down Giannis on one of his drives. Amen also isn't afraid to get technicals and he has really adopted Ime's mindset and coaching.

 

The Udoker is shooting @sirjesse

 

Is Coach Ime planning a comeback?

 

He going to rotate in on Curry for four minutes a game on defense

 

We must survive at least one game without them

 

This is turrible! How can the Rockets compete without them?

 

Yeah I genuinely think he'll rapidly gain a reputation as the most intimidating player in the league tbh. We've not even seen playoff Amen yet either, if his intensity increases, which is incredibly likely, he could really make a name for himself this year if we do well.

 

I got you fam

 

@krosfyah