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This is a continuation of an interesting conversation from an old comment thread, which started when I wrote about LeBron James attacking Stephen Curry with the pick and roll:
This is definitely the $64,000 question
And I think a lot of the W’s scheming this year has been about how to un-switch Curry from LeBron. To me, it’s not so much that LBJ will dominate Curry — I think if forced to guard him, Curry does not get annihilated — but more that it gets Curry into foul trouble and he’s still the head of the snake that takes the team from very good to historically great.
A lot of the conversation that followed was about what degree of annihilation would ensue.
Anyway, I’ve been wanting to write about the new Warriors defense for exactly this play, and I finally did it after reading Zach Lowe’s love song to the LeBron James - Kyrie Irving pick and roll:
Cleveland has sharpened this play for two years with an eye on Curry. "Kyrie's getting really good," James says. "And we're going to get better at it as he grows, and I continue to do what I do."
There aren’t many good solutions to this play. If you go under the screen, LeBron can hit a three. If you go over, LeBron is fast enough to get to the rim. If you ICE it, LeBron can hit a short jumper or drive by in space. If you double team, LeBron can often find the open man. If you switch, now LeBron gets to work against a smaller defender like Curry.
Anyway, I wrote out a full analysis of how the Warriors now have Curry guarding James when attacked in the pick and roll. It was on the wonky side, so I gave it to BBallBreakdown, and you can read the rest there:
“The New Way Stephen Curry Defends LeBron James”
https://bballbreakdown.com/2017/05/30/the-new-way-stephen-curry-defends-lebron-james/
You should read it, it has lots of videos! But the very very short summary is that the Warriors now use what I’d call a hyperactive high tag.
This is a clever defensive idea. I’ve never seen the Warriors play this scheme except exactly when Curry is attacked in the pick and roll by LeBron. Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen this scheme played by anyone.
And if you get confused by the terminology, use the handy glossary at the end.
PS. For those asking: no, I’m not leaving GSOM. I still plan on doing more Explain One Plays in the future...
Explain One Play Glossary
Basic Terms
- pick (or screen): To stand in the way of a defender.
- pop: After setting a pick, run to open space, ready to catch a pass to shoot.
- roll: After setting a pick, run towards the basket
- slip (the screen): Begin to set a pick, but roll or pop early
- drive: move towards the basket with the ball
- cut: move without the ball
- dive: cut to the basket
- kick out: pass to the perimeter from the paint.
Kinds of Screens
- back: screen for a player to cut to the basket
- down: screen for a player cutting away from the baseline
- flare: screen for a player to pop out for a jumper.
- ram (pre-screen): screen for a player who then sets a screen.
- dribble-pitch: dribble towards a player and hand the ball off while setting a screen for them.
- drag: a high screen set early in offense as the screener arrives
Defense
- switch: When a defender is screened, they switch assignments to the screener, and the screener’s defender guards their previous assignment.
- trap/blitz/double: Two players closely guard one.
- goalie/shadow/overload: A secondary defender is positioned to backup a player’s primary defender.
- show, hedge: a screener’s defender jumps out to slow the ballhandler, then recovers to their assignment
- go over a screen: go around the screen on the side farther from the basket (so the ball is open to drive rather than shoot)
- go under a screen: go around the screen on the side closer to the basket (so the ball is open to shoot rather than drive)
- close out: get close to a shooter to intimidate the shot.
Locations
- high/low: Closer to the baseline is “low”, farther from the basket is “high”
- weak/strong side: The side of the court with the ball is the strong side, the other side is the weak side.
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Plays
- Floppy: Ball at the top, a screen is set at each side of the lane, 1+ shooters starts under basket and curl around a screen. More.
- HORNS: Two bigs at elbows, two smalls at corners, ball up high. More.
- High HORNS: Like HORNS, but two bigs set screens above the free throw circle.
- Motion Strong pick-and-roll: Ball goes from right to the top. The top dribble-pitches away to the left, then backtracks quickly cross-court to screen for the original handler. (example)
- Motion Weak Zipper: Explain One Play: Durant and Thompson (finally) execute to close out Blazers
- Split cuts, dive-pop: Passer holds ball in post or up high. Two players converge, then one pops out to the arc, one dives to the basket.
If you want to read more video breakdowns — one for well-nigh every Warriors’ win since 2015 — check out the Explain One Play Mega-Index, searchable and sortable by player, play, team and date.