How To Defend Golden State's 3-Point Shot Explained

[Jose_TheGenius]

The San Antonio Spurs' perimeter defense has suffered against the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have combined for 10-15 (66%) shooting from beyond the arc. The main nemesis of the Spurs hasn't been the defense, but the personnel trying to carry out the scheme.

There's two main factors contributing to the Warriors' open 3-point makes and it's a mental aspect of basketball more than physical at this point.

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[thesuspence281]

Good thoughts but do you actually think it will be implemented or work? I stopped watching the game halfway through the second just cus I couldnt stand watching curry and thompson make all that bs they were throwing up. I just thought to myself at the time that it didnt even seem to matter whether there was someone on them or not and everything was going in.

They outshot us 45% to 23% from the 3 point line and from the little of the game that I watched it seemed like the spurs were trying to match the warriors shot for shot but ended up just throwing up ill-advised 3's for now reason instead of letting the open 3's come as a biproduct of the ball movement.

[Jose_TheGenius]

it easily could. i think Bonner starting hurt the mindset of the defenders because (as good as some people may think he is) Bonner isn't a help defender in the paint, especially against a quicker more athletic Warriors team. guys were sagging off shooters to play "halfway" between the basket and 3-point line.

i think they need to kill the 3, force their help on Curry/Thompson, then force rotations on defense (what we used to do). we can match Golden State's 2-point shots, we can't match their ridiculous 3-pointers.

[TimmyDthaWay2B]

Originally Posted by Jose_TheGenius

it easily could. i think Bonner starting hurt the mindset of the defenders because (as good as some people may think he is) Bonner isn't a help defender in the paint, especially against a quicker more athletic Warriors team. guys were sagging off shooters to play "halfway" between the basket and 3-point line.

i think they need to kill the 3, force their help on Curry/Thompson, then force rotations on defense (what we used to do). we can match Golden State's 2-point shots, we can't match their ridiculous 3-pointers.

How dare you say that about Bonner...

[thesuspence281]

The issue for me is that if we run out to the three point line to run them off of it, they dont step in to take an easier shot, they just side step the defender and still put up a three.

[Jose_TheGenius]

Originally Posted by thesuspence281

The issue for me is that if we run out to the three point line to run them off of it, they dont step in to take an easier shot, they just side step the defender and still put up a three.

Spurs can't run to contest on a 3-point contest against these guys. they have to be there already at arm's length (at best). if you're running at them, they already know where they're at on the court to throw the shot up.

[Uwe Blab]

There's no defense against shooters like Curry and Thompson. They don't need a lot of daylight to shoot. All they need is a pick, and whether or not the defender goes under or through, that gives those guys enough space to shoot. The only way they can be stopped at the 3pt line is if they shoot their average or go completely cold. The real issue is the Spurs inefficiency on the offensive end. They need to shoot at their average, plain and simple. If you remember in the Suns series you refer to, the Spurs weren't blowing them out. They were close games and the Spurs had to outscore them. That's what they are going to have to do here.

[TimmyDthaWay2B]

Dont forget rebound the ball. Did pretty well last game, but seemed game 1 they got so many offensive rebounds on us.

[Jose_TheGenius]

Originally Posted by Uwe Blab

There's no defense against shooters like Curry and Thompson. They don't need a lot of daylight to shoot. All they need is a pick, and whether or not the defender goes under or through, that gives those guys enough space to shoot. The only way they can be stopped at the 3pt line is if they shoot their average or go completely cold. The real issue is the Spurs inefficiency on the offensive end. They need to shoot at their average, plain and simple. If you remember in the Suns series you refer to, the Spurs weren't blowing them out. They were close games and the Spurs had to outscore them. That's what they are going to have to do here.

i'll disagree to an extent with the daylight comment. when the Spurs go under the screen, of course that gives them way too much room. when they go over the screen, the help isn't there to box him in. one of the easiest ones to look at if you remember is when Kawhi got picked by Bogut last game and Curry ran baseline as quick as he could and shot that jumper over Splitter. Tiago was so far back on defense that his contest was useless. now if he gets there before, Curry would've been forced to pass it up.

also look where Leonard/Green are playing their man. when Bonner started, they were playing "halfway" defense where they try to play the drive and contest over focusing on one. that gives them way too much room to operate. this lack of defense was evident when Danny Green (about 3-4 inches taller and longer than Curry) played so far back on Curry when he fouled him on the elbow on the 3. if he was closer, no way that's a foul but because he was reaching, that foul happened. they're making ridiculous shots, but the Spurs can definitely play better defense on them in the perimeter.

[tenthousandaces]

Defense wins championships. Let's get back to our DNA.

[Money4Nothing]

Originally Posted by Uwe Blab

There's no defense against shooters like Curry and Thompson. They don't need a lot of daylight to shoot. All they need is a pick, and whether or not the defender goes under or through, that gives those guys enough space to shoot. The only way they can be stopped at the 3pt line is if they shoot their average or go completely cold. The real issue is the Spurs inefficiency on the offensive end. They need to shoot at their average, plain and simple. If you remember in the Suns series you refer to, the Spurs weren't blowing them out. They were close games and the Spurs had to outscore them. That's what they are going to have to do here.

I think this is a pretty good point.

If Curry and Thompson really are as good as they were in game 1 and 2, then nobody is beating them (except maybe the Heat, who can be just as good on offense). But I don't think they are really that good. They just got hot at the same time that the Spurs didn't have a good defensive handle.

If Curry and Thompson shoot their average, they can still beat us if our defense is porous and our offense is inefficient. But at least we should be favored in most aspects of the game then.

I think if we continue to contest well and make the Warriors take tough shots, and limit the transition shots, then the shooting percentages will even out a bit and we'll start to win games.

Scary thing is that the series is short enough that it's conceivable that Curry and Thompson could shoot 60% from 3 over the course of 5 or 6 games and bump us out. Then of course they'll shoot 20% against Thunder/Griz and get bounced hard.

$

[TimmyDthaWay2B]

Originally Posted by Money4Nothing

I think this is a pretty good point.

If Curry and Thompson really are as good as they were in game 1 and 2, then nobody is beating them (except maybe the Heat, who can be just as good on offense). But I don't think they are really that good. They just got hot at the same time that the Spurs didn't have a good defensive handle.

If Curry and Thompson shoot their average, they can still beat us if our defense is porous and our offense is inefficient. But at least we should be favored in most aspects of the game then.

I think if we continue to contest well and make the Warriors take tough shots, and limit the transition shots, then the shooting percentages will even out a bit and we'll start to win games.

Scary thing is that the series is short enough that it's conceivable that Curry and Thompson could shoot 60% from 3 over the course of 5 or 6 games and bump us out. Then of course they'll shoot 20% against Thunder/Griz and get bounced hard.

$

Its very possible GS bumps us out, but I read Curry was limping badly out of the locker room so their odds are dropping.

[Spurd_On]

San Antonio outshot Golden State 50.6 to 39.3 percent by curbing Curry and Thompson on the perimeter, though the Spurs didn't feel like they defended any differently.

"There's no answer to anything like that," Popovich said. "You just play the game. Some nights you shoot it better than other nights. They didn't shoot it as well as they did, and we shot better. If there was a formula for that, everybody would be shooting 50 of 60 percent every night."

[Uwe Blab]

Originally Posted by Spurd_On

San Antonio outshot Golden State 50.6 to 39.3 percent by curbing Curry and Thompson on the perimeter, though the Spurs didn't feel like they defended any differently.

"There's no answer to anything like that," Popovich said. "You just play the game. Some nights you shoot it better than other nights. They didn't shoot it as well as they did, and we shot better. If there was a formula for that, everybody would be shooting 50 of 60 percent every night."

They didn't defend any differently, although they were a little peppier in their step. If those guys are shooting like a video game, you can't do anything about it. What people didn't realize is that they were shooting the 3ptr way above their average. They were destined to become human again at some point.

[Rzarector7]

Originally Posted by Uwe Blab

They didn't defend any differently, although they were a little peppier in their step. If those guys are shooting like a video game, you can't do anything about it. What people didn't realize is that they were shooting the 3ptr way above their average. They were destined to become human again at some point.

Yes if you are shooting threes like NBA JAM there is little we can do about it! I agree fully there with you.