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Explain One Play: Closing without Steph or KD

Video analysis of how the Warriors closed out the Nets without the magic of Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant in the Nov 19 2017 game.

NBA: Golden State Warriors at Brooklyn Nets
mama said close you out
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

It was a wild game in Brooklyn. As GSOM’s Daniel Hardee wrote:

Offensive pyrotechnics notwithstanding, Warriors lapsed into a drowsy funk. Defensively, they allowed 42 points in the quarter. Allowing back to back games with 40+ point quarters is horrendous, especially when the second game is against lowly Brooklyn. The Dubs fueled Brooklyn’s transition game with five turnovers, and Curry closed the quarter with his fifth foul.

The Nets shockingly clawed back from the grave. They whittled away at the lead as the Warriors offense went ice cold. When Curry fouled out on a layup attempt with three minutes to go, the Nets were within five points, 107-102.

And that’s where our breakdown picks up. We look at the plays in the last three minutes of the game. Usually of course this is Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant time. GSW usually relies on one of them to make an excellent scoring play, or to have the others finish off a great look caused by their gravity.

Tonight it was a lot like the Blazers and Rockets series from the 2016 playoffs, when Curry was injured and only had elite weapons from Klay Thompson shooting and Draymond Green defending and playmaking. In those games, the recipe involved tough, swarming defense and disciplined motion offense to keep pace until Thompson could ignite to create some separation.

Tonight had a similar recipe, but Coach Steve Kerr complicated things by throwing Kevon Looney into the closing mix. This led to excellent on-ball defense through his footwork and long arms, but also as you’ll see, repeated mix-ups as he struggled at times to coordinate with his teammates.

Closing without Steph or KD

Watch how Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Shaun Livingston closed out crunch time against the Nets without Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant.

Posted by Golden State of Mind on Sunday, November 19, 2017

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Poll

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Poll

In the Wednesday Warriors-OKC matchup...

This poll is closed

  • 5%
    OKC will win by double-digits. Seattle weeps again.
    (39 votes)
  • 4%
    OKC will win by single-digits. The OK3 finally break through in the clutch.
    (27 votes)
  • 31%
    GSW will win by single-digits. They might go up 30 or down 30, but they’ll squeak it out.
    (208 votes)
  • 58%
    GSW will win by double-digits. OKC sulky moralizing and pettiness will drive GSW to excellence.
    (386 votes)
660 votes total Vote Now

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