Tuesday, April 21, 2015

2015 NBA Playoffs: 'Walking On Water'

Curry made an NBA record 286 triples.
A lttle bit of water never hurt anybody.

But a monsoon, it could kill you.

That's what life is like for any team going up against Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the 2015 Golden State Warriors. The outside jumpers start splattering like heavy drizzle. Then it turns into a downpour.

Before you even realize what just happened, you're already facing a double-digit deficit.

Knee deep in a thunderstorm. Drenched. Dishelved. And helplessly soggy.

The rain is gonna fall, and there's really nothing you can do to prevent it. However, there are certain things that you can do to weather the storm. In the case of opponents for Curry and Thompson, the same idea rings true. Those guys are gonna get theirs; we've all seen streaks where both have been absolutely unhumanly unguardable. But they are human (and somewhat guardable) and implementing focus on minor details can give some FEMA-like aid in avoiding a complete disaster. Here are some fundamental ways of weathering the barrage of wetness that is the 2015 GSW.

Find the shooters in transition.


Green can getter under your skin in more than one way.
Most teams in the league demand that you sprint back on defense and defend the paint to deter easy transition scoring opportunities. It's the opposite when facing the Warriors. Priority is defending the three-point line. Depending on who is on the floor at the time, you may need to send only one or two players back to defend the paint while the rest of your team seeks out guys on the perimeter. Draymond Green loves to float towards the short corner or trail to the top of the key on the break.

Don't go under screens in pick-and-roll situations.

If you don't plan defensively on switching every screen in pick-and-roll situations, the on ball defender should fight for his life to get over the top of the screen. Yes, it leaves the defense susceptible to the roll man (usually Andrew Bogut, Green) getting alot of free space to the basket but would you rather take your chances with the backside of the defense, or getting burned by one of the Splash Bros. on a wide-open, in-rhythm look at a three-point jumpshot?

One shot.


He scored 37 in a quarter...a quarter!
The last thing you need is to give Curry or Thompson a second chance at a three-point shot on a single possession. Defensive rebounding is important in every game but it's paramount against the Warriors. These guys never met a shot they didn't like and won't hesitate to jack multiple three-point attempts on a single trip if you give them the opportunity.

Get you're umbrellas ready.

Be prepared for a Curry or Thompson epic scoring run. These guys are consistently on heat-check mode and won't hesitate to fire a shot off early in the shot clock. The worst thing you can do is try match their efforts with quick shots that takes you're own offense out of its rhythm. Keep trudging and eventually some of the flood will subside. Just remember that even with an umbrella, if you stand in the rain for 48 minutes, you're bound to get wet.