The Golden State Warriors took the NBA by storm when things finally clicked with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson setting 3-point records. Their success was predicated on far more than that though and can be seen from the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
The off-ball movement and unselfish passing in the Warriors’ half-court offense goes a long way to make it tough on defenses. A key element of that is Draymond Green, who is able to make quick reads and accurate passes as a short-roll playmaker and ball handler, in general.
The influence of the Warriors’ style of play has made on the rest of the NBA can be seen at the highest stage. Steve Kerr sees many examples of it through the way the Heat approach the game.
“We gotta be ourselves,” Kerr told The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami. “What makes Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson) the players they are is the combination of what they can on and off the ball. That’s what moves defenses.
“And what makes Draymond (Green) special is his ability to distribute from either the four or the five spot — to have playmaking at that level. As you watch (the) Miami (Heat) right now, you can see the influence that our team has had on the league.
“It’s really difficult for defenses to guard when there’s a lot of action going on. So we’re not gonna change that stuff.”
The main difference between the Warriors and the Heat is that Miami simply lacks nearly the level of dynamic shooting that Golden State possesses between Curry and Thompson. There are some real shooters on the Heat but they aren’t quite as dynamic as the “Splash Brothers.”
It will be fascinating to see how the Golden State Warriors manage to return back to the top of the Western Conference with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson back in the lineup. The matchups they have with the Miami Heat will be particularly to see.
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