Golden State Warriors: 3 takeaways from Game 3 vs. Rockets
2. Curry’s defense unlocks brilliant game plan
By forcing Curry to defend James Harden in isolation, the Rockets essentially turned a matchup of two elite units — their offense and Golden State’s defense — into a lopsided battle. Harden cooked in Game 1, and by making the subtle tweak of attacking quicker, was able to get his teammates going in Game 2. Entering Game 3, Houston’s offensive rating in the series was 112.5 (per NBA.com).
In Game 3, that number dropped to 87.9. Curry is the worst defender in Golden State’s starting lineup, but he was the biggest reason for the change.
Rather than fighting to prolong the switch (Game 1) or trying to get the stop himself (Game 2), Curry was realistic about what he can and cannot do in Game 3. He played up on Harden and Chris Paul (and everyone else he guarded on the ball), taking away the step-back jumper and encouraging the drive.
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Rather than trying to recover and racking up fouls, Curry simply stayed close enough to Houston’s guards to not give them a perfect angle. When they did get into the lane, the Warriors brought help — usually in the form of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson or Draymond Green.
This left Harden and Paul with three choices: take a difficult shot at the rim, try to draw a foul or kick it to the open man.
When they tried to convert, the results were poor. Harden was just 3-of-6 at the rim, and Paul was 1-of-3. They also struggled to get calls (half due to a “let them play” whistle and half due to Golden State being loaded with expert help defenders who know how to defend without fouling), as the duo combined for seven free throws.
Ultimately, passing was the only option. However, Golden State did a great job at recovering to Houston’s shooters, none of whom found the rhythm they did at Target Center in Game 2. The only fruitful action were lobs to Clint Capela (13 points on 6-of-9 shooting), but Golden State quickly adjusted by bringing help from elsewhere.
I’m sure Ron Adams and the coaching staff deserves most of the credit for this adjustment. Certainly Golden State’s better defenders are next, since they make such a strategy possible. But Curry playing his role with discipline, consistency and focus was the starting point. Without his effort, the Warriors have no chance — kind of like Houston, when Harden defends the way he did in Game 3.
The Rockets can adjust. They can run more pick-and-rolls with Capela, getting him more involved and forcing more difficult rotations. Doing so, however, means going away from targeting Curry, since he does not guard Capela.
Even if this adjustment helps Houston, it helps the Warriors too. It gives Curry more rest, allowing him to do more of what he did on the other end.