Draymond Green's Game Winner

After surviving a Shane Battier three pointer miss on one end, the Warriors came back with a chance to win the game.  Golden State had numerous players they could go to to win it.  Jarrett Jack, Klay Thompson, and David Lee had big games.  Stephen Curry is the team's best player.  Draymond Green is...wait...nobody thought the ball was going to go to the rookie second round pick.  It was villain ball, the opposite of hero ball.  While the play wasn't designed for Green, he was an option that the ball actually went to, something you don't usually see late in games.

The play featured Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, the team's two best shooters coming around screens on opposite sides of the floor.  David Lee alluded to this in his post game interview with Sun Sports.  He also talked about the fact that if the Heat over helped (which they had been doing all night) the big man were to slip the screen.

That's exactly what happened on the near side of the court.  Shane Battier helped so as not to let Klay Thompson get the ball for a catch and shoot jumper.  This left Green free to dive to the rim.  Normally in this situation a defender on the weakside will rotate over, but the two weakside defenders are defending the other curl and can't help.

When Jack found Green for the easy layup I may or may not have let out a primal scream.

 
        

A Fun Little Play the Warriors Have Been Running

There was one play ran a couple of times I specifically noted when watching Monday's game, a tough loss to Sacramento.  It uses some really basic components to get multiple options at a good look.

After coming down the floor, the ball goes in to Carl Landry (or David Lee) in the high post.  This in itself is a safety valve; if the play blows up, Landry can always isolate on his man.  After sending the ball to the elbow, Curry cuts to the corner where a normally a wing player will be waiting.

Curry sets a screen for Klay Thompson who cuts towards the basket where Landry can pass to him for an open layup.  It hasn't happened yet, but I imagine that Thompson also has the option to fake the middle and pop to the three point line.  Also notice on the weakside David Lee beginning to set a back screen for Harrison Barnes.

Thompson is covered up well on his cut which springs the second action: a wing two man game.  The great thing about this is whats happening on the weakside.  If hedged hard, Curry can slip a pass to Barnes for an open three behind David Lee.  David  Lee's man (right above the block/charge arc, facing the camera) won't be able to help on the three as he is already helping on the Klay cut.

The screen and roll is run as usual.  Curry commits and the weakside action ends.

Curry pulls up for an open jumper he makes at a high rate.  Curry misses this one, but the point is that a high percentage look was created.  Keep your eye out for this next game.  Here are two examples of it in real time:

Have a play or player you want to see broken down? Email jankeljustice@gmail.com  

The Warriors Clinch it on a Slip Screen

Golden State came away with a win against the Phoenix Suns, despite being outplayed much of the second half and David Lee and Stephen Curry combining to go 4-30.  Holding a one point lead with the ball in the final minute, the Warriors went to a bread and butter play designed to get Carl Landry the ball.  Landry was effective the entire game, scoring 17 points in a very efficient manner.  Here is the play:

Jarret Jack dribbles at the top of the key waiting for a Carl Landry screen, in what looks to be a standard screen and roll.

Instead of setting the pick however, Landry cuts to the opposite elbow.  This catches Marcin Gortat by surprise as he is expecting to have to hedge.

This leaves lots of room for Landry on a shot he can knock down consistently.

Some interesting things of note from the game:

• Landry was playing crunch time (and playing well), and I'm assuming this is because of Bogut's status.  The Lee/Landry lineup will have trouble with defense and on the boards, but it is tough to stop on offense.
• The Warriors played small a ton with Klay Thompson moving to the three and Stephen Curry playing off the ball.  I will look into the lineup numbers on this once there is a larger sample size.
• Festus Ezeli is a legitimate backup center.  He rebounded and covered space well and will learn the subtleties of defense from Andrew Bogut.