JohnnyMax
05-28-2015, 12:36 AM
If I wanted to, I could point out that Curry had several woeful shooting performances during this Playoffs but, I'm honestly not even here to talk about box scores. Who cares. I'm talking about watching him, with my own 2 eyes.
Curry is slow for a 6'3" guard, not Steve Nash slow, but slow nonetheless. He doesn't have an elite first step and while he has good footwork he doesn't have quick feet. Watch clips of Kyrie creating with his handles and driving vs Curry and the difference is night and day. Kyrie has a ridiculous handle yes, but it's his unreal first step, quickness and speed that really makes him hard to stop on the drive. If Curry doesn't get you to bite on one of his moves, he's not getting past you. If Kyrie doesn't get you to bite, he only needs you to shuffle your feet less than an inch and you've given him enough room to just blow by you with his speed anyways.
I said this when I watched him against Memphis, and I said it again when I watched him against Houston. It seems like if you want to slow Curry down, (I say slow down because he's always gonna get at least 15 alone just based on his ability to shoot--even the best defenses will allow an open look or two), you do 3 very simple things: 1.) You put a bigger, more athletic wing on him, 2.) You don't give him space and 3.) You trap him off the pick and roll.
Why?
-He's not athletic enough to outduel big wings and get into the paint. Doesn't have the first step and the length bothers him. Which is why he relies on the pick and roll, or fancy dribbling moves and stepback jumpers. You rarely saw Curry drive in this series unless a big was switched onto him.
-I know, "give him no space" is cliche and common sense, but seriously, watch these games and look how much space Curry is given at times. The Rockets had their best stretch stopping him when they put Jason Terry or Ariza on an island and had either of them watch Curry off the ball at all times during the game, basically forcing the Warriors to play 4 on 4. Where he's dangerous is when you lose sight of him for a split second running around the offball screens, because his release is deadly quick and you won't have much time to recover. In all honesty, while Hou lost, for the most part they defended Curry very well tonight.
-Like I said, also trap him off pick and rolls. Curry has a tendency to throw that one handed zip pass when he dribbles around the roll man. The Rockets were pretty successful forcing turnovers or constantly deflecting those passes when they brought another big body around to trap Curry and obstruct his line of sight (since he's only 6'3".) He also has a tendency to get nervous around double teams, I think in part due to the fact that at the NBA level the dude isn't much of an athlete plain and simple.
LeBron stanning aside, I actually really don't like him against Cleveland. I think that if you guys wanted to see the Cavs lose Houston would've been a better matchup. Too much of the Warriors offense is predicated on Curry's ability to perform--they rally around him, and I think Curry is going to have an extremely hard time against a team that literally has size and length everywhere--but not lumbering, slow, size, fast and quick footed size. The kind of size that gives a dude like Curry hell. I count 4 big defenders who are more athletic than him can give him trouble (6'4" Delly, 6'5" Shump, 6'6" JR, and 6'8" LeBron.) I don't see them having Kyrie on him for sustained periods of time, but they really just need Kyrie to hold his own for even a little, and Kyrie is a guy whose offense is his defense anyways.
I dunno. As awful as Houston look basketball is a game of matchups. A spurs team that looked insanely vulnerable against an okay Dallas in Round 1 steamrolled the Heat in the Finals. Houston is a much tougher matchup for Cleveland.
Curry is slow for a 6'3" guard, not Steve Nash slow, but slow nonetheless. He doesn't have an elite first step and while he has good footwork he doesn't have quick feet. Watch clips of Kyrie creating with his handles and driving vs Curry and the difference is night and day. Kyrie has a ridiculous handle yes, but it's his unreal first step, quickness and speed that really makes him hard to stop on the drive. If Curry doesn't get you to bite on one of his moves, he's not getting past you. If Kyrie doesn't get you to bite, he only needs you to shuffle your feet less than an inch and you've given him enough room to just blow by you with his speed anyways.
I said this when I watched him against Memphis, and I said it again when I watched him against Houston. It seems like if you want to slow Curry down, (I say slow down because he's always gonna get at least 15 alone just based on his ability to shoot--even the best defenses will allow an open look or two), you do 3 very simple things: 1.) You put a bigger, more athletic wing on him, 2.) You don't give him space and 3.) You trap him off the pick and roll.
Why?
-He's not athletic enough to outduel big wings and get into the paint. Doesn't have the first step and the length bothers him. Which is why he relies on the pick and roll, or fancy dribbling moves and stepback jumpers. You rarely saw Curry drive in this series unless a big was switched onto him.
-I know, "give him no space" is cliche and common sense, but seriously, watch these games and look how much space Curry is given at times. The Rockets had their best stretch stopping him when they put Jason Terry or Ariza on an island and had either of them watch Curry off the ball at all times during the game, basically forcing the Warriors to play 4 on 4. Where he's dangerous is when you lose sight of him for a split second running around the offball screens, because his release is deadly quick and you won't have much time to recover. In all honesty, while Hou lost, for the most part they defended Curry very well tonight.
-Like I said, also trap him off pick and rolls. Curry has a tendency to throw that one handed zip pass when he dribbles around the roll man. The Rockets were pretty successful forcing turnovers or constantly deflecting those passes when they brought another big body around to trap Curry and obstruct his line of sight (since he's only 6'3".) He also has a tendency to get nervous around double teams, I think in part due to the fact that at the NBA level the dude isn't much of an athlete plain and simple.
LeBron stanning aside, I actually really don't like him against Cleveland. I think that if you guys wanted to see the Cavs lose Houston would've been a better matchup. Too much of the Warriors offense is predicated on Curry's ability to perform--they rally around him, and I think Curry is going to have an extremely hard time against a team that literally has size and length everywhere--but not lumbering, slow, size, fast and quick footed size. The kind of size that gives a dude like Curry hell. I count 4 big defenders who are more athletic than him can give him trouble (6'4" Delly, 6'5" Shump, 6'6" JR, and 6'8" LeBron.) I don't see them having Kyrie on him for sustained periods of time, but they really just need Kyrie to hold his own for even a little, and Kyrie is a guy whose offense is his defense anyways.
I dunno. As awful as Houston look basketball is a game of matchups. A spurs team that looked insanely vulnerable against an okay Dallas in Round 1 steamrolled the Heat in the Finals. Houston is a much tougher matchup for Cleveland.