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Golden State Warriors: 10 Keys To Winning Game 7

By Gerald Bourguet

Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after he was ejected from the game in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 115-101. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after he was ejected from the game in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 115-101. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors
June 13, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (4) during the second half in game five of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Make Open Threes

The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors are the greatest shooting team in NBA history. For a team that obliterated the league record for most threes made by a single team (1,077) and boasted perhaps the two greatest shooters of all time who just recorded the first (402) and third (276) most individual threes made in one season, it’s not a matter of opinion. It’s a statement of fact.

The Dubs led the league in three-point attempts, makes and percentage (41.6 percent), they regularly pulled up from deep in transition the way most teams would for a layup, and they generally kicked the crap out of teams thanks to the torrential downpour of the Splash Brothers.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, those point-blank threes that used to feel like layups have started to feel more like half-court heaves.

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    • During the regular season, a staggering 80.2 percent of Golden State’s three-point attempts were what NBA.com classifies as “open” (nearest defender 4-6 feet away) or “wide open” (6+ feet way). The Warriors converted a whopping 42.8 percent of these looks that we’ll refer to as “uncontested.”

    Through six Finals games, 77.1 percent of Golden State’s three-pointers have been uncontested. Unfortunately for the Warriors, they’ve only managed to convert 37.7 percent of these quality looks. I repeat: THE BEST THREE-POINT SHOOTING TEAM IN NBA HISTORY IS ONLY MAKING 37.7 PERCENT OF ITS COMPLETELY UNCONTESTED LOOKS.

    For the series, the Warriors are actually shooting better on contested threes (38.2 percent) than uncontested, wide-ass open threes (37.7 percent). Over the last two games, their efficiency on those open looks has plummeted to 32.8 percent.

    Harrison Barnes missing 20 of his last 22 shots obviously doesn’t help, but the Warriors are really shooting themselves in the foot. Actually, they’re probably incapable of shooting themselves in the foot; that’s how bad they’re missing right now.

    In a Game 7 at home, those open three-point looks need to start falling for the auxiliary players and they definitely need to start going down for Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

    Next: No. 1

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