Video Analysis

Stephen Curry got famous for long range shots, sweet layups and outrageous passes. But he still does the dirty work that most fans don’t notice: setting screens that get his teammates open shots. He’s the best small screener in basketball and here are five baskets in 2019 NBA Finals Game 2 he helped create with screens, including the famous Cyclone play. Co-starring Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Quinn Cook, Alfonzo McKinnie, Shaun Livingston, and a cruel Steve Kerr.

(Facebook version)

That Janky Defense

Toronto played a box-and-one for the last five minutes to utterly dare any non-Curry to beat them. The odd end of Game 2 without Klay Thompson had Curry playing with four eh shooters (Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, DeMarcus Cousins, Draymond Green), which made it a lot easier to zone them. GSW was confused about how to handle it. But Kerr & Co have a happy cross-country plane flight to design some offensive counters. But it might be trouble if GSW doesn’t have healthy shooters to shoot over it.

I’m not an expert on beating the Box and 1, but in theory, NBA teams should be able to

• shoot over it
• send cutters straight down the middle of box
• overload an area and have one screen for another

Klay’s Injury

I always mute Jeff Van Gundy & Mark Jackson, but I had to have the sound on to hear about Klay’s status. It made my ears hurt. I was enraged with van Gundy saying Klay got injured because he was flopping. Of course, they didn’t show the replay where Danny Green clearly bumped Klay in the air.

One More Thing

I have a press credential for the Finals. If you have any questions you want me to try to ask any player or coach, write them in the comments. The Finals are a madhouse and it’s almost impossible to get any questions asked of anyone, but I’ll do my best if I like any of the suggestions.

Warning: last year, Steve Kerr ordered his coaching staff not to discuss any specific game strategy. I got shut down hard last year and I wasn’t the only one...