Golden State Warriors: 5 keys to series vs. Pelicans
By Marc Princi
3. Containing Davis
The Warriors have the unenviable task of going up against MVP finalist Anthony Davis. Davis is the best power forward in the league and I’d argue that it’s not even close. The Warriors don’t have the defensive prowess to stop him. In fairness, who does? That’s why he’s so dominant. They can only hope to contain him, and that’s a near-impossible task in itself.
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It’s one thing to try and contain a superstar on the offensive end, but Davis is one of a rare breed who can take over a game on both ends of the floor. There’s only a handful of players in the league who can do that, but perhaps none as dominant as Davis.
So, how does Golden State handle him? With Davis on offense, the Warriors just need their big guys to get in his way and hope for the best. What more can you do? If anyone had figured out how to contain him, I wouldn’t be writing this. The Dubs’ best chance at containing Davis’ impact is when the Warriors are on offense. Their shooting needs to be superb and they must keep the offense flowing.
The Warriors’ best asset is their 3-point shooting. That’s no secret. If they want to stop Davis from having an impact defensively, their 3-point shooting has to be at its best.