How are we going to attack the Warriors defense?

basketballholic · Apr 28, 2019

@NewAge posted this in another thread. It's worthy to stand on its own.

NewAge said: ↑

Yeah, this opens up another question: how do we attack the GSW defense? But let's keep it in this thread.

Saying that last year they hid Curry on Ariza does not tell the whole story, since the Rockets hunted him with an Ariza pick and he got switched on James, "e-v-e-r-y single time", as Steph joked... Will this year be the same?

According to Zach Lowe's article on Harden, running a pick is a complicated maneuver for a team to execute: it saps energy and can be messed up. If we can avoid setting the pick, that supposedly is better a option for us. (I admit, I have never thought about it this way, but James is breaking the playbooks, so we are in new territory). In that regard, you are correct that now we have weapons to attack Curry without a pick. First, by starting EG, we have three guards in the starting line-up (when Curry plays), so we can attack him with different people. Plus, Austin can try to get a step on him as well, that has some potential.

So, yeah, we can run some plays attacking Steph straight, but you don't want to take away too many play from your best player (and a historically superb offensive player). If you want to hunt a Steph-Harden matchup, now you have to run another guard as the pick setter, which is a bit strange, but we'll see how it works...

In that same vein. Since James has entered god-mode this year, can he take Klay straight? In other words, is it worth running a pick to bring Steph, if Harden can now have his way with Klay without a pick?

Finally, I personally think that our guards should attack KD, too. As mobile as he is, we have the weapons to get a step on him, and making him work on D may be the only possible way to slow his offense.

So there we go, we have our four plays:

1. Attack Steph on iso straight with CP3/EG/Rivers
2. Hunt Steph with a pick to get him switched on Harden.
3. Iso James on Klay.
4. Attack KD with whoever guard he's got.

I don't think we should run any other plays, I mean like, NONE. Every possession matters, you want to maximize usage of your most productive options, not to goof around...
Click to expand...

Roc Paint · Apr 28, 2019

I’m looking for Paint Points to be at an all time high

StrawberryJamm · Apr 28, 2019

Same way they attack everyone, there's not really an answer for it.

1. Get Harden the ball
2. Send a pick from the matchup we want.
3. Harden forces them to pick their poison. He has 4 good options and no defense can stop them all.

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How are we going to attack the Warriors defense?

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