SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors’ first job after being kicked out of the NBA playoffs and returning to the Bay Area last May was to bandage their bruised pride from losing to a lower-seeded team. Second round.
The second job was for coaches and personnel executives to fully evaluate the postseason, and they sprinted to the lab to find solutions to the problems the Lakers had created.
“A lot of good things happened against Sacramento, we showed resiliency in coming back from a 2-0 deficit and winning Game 7 on the road, showing our fortitude,” manager Steve Kerr said Friday. ” he said.
“And the Lakers exposed us.”
After slipping past the Kings in the first round and winning Game 7 on Stephen Curry’s 50-point outburst, Golden State was left cold by the schemes devised by Lakers coach Dervin Ham and his staff.
The raw numbers submitted by the major Warriors were frightening. Stephen Curry, the centerpiece of the Los Angeles defense, was limited to 43.9 percent from the field, including 34.3 percent from deep. Klay Thompson shot 34.3 percent overall and 38.1 percent from deep. Andrew Wiggins posted splits of 45.2/33.3, while Jordan Poole limped off at 34.5/25.0.
Although most of Los Angeles’ shooters were worse, they were more accurate from the field (47.7-44.2) and 3-point distance (35.7-35.4) than the Warriors. When the Lakers flocked to Curry, which happened often, Thompson and Wiggins struggled to make them pay, and Poole was at his worst.
“We weren’t a very balanced team last year,” Kerr said. “When you think about and watch that series, they put us in a tight spot defensively. And there were no counters.
“So we need to make sure we have a counter this year.”
Thus began the change in the roster. The veteran starting lineup of Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney remained, but the departure of sixth and seventh players Jordan Poole and Donte DiVincenzo left the younger portion of the roster Faded.
The main “counter” acquisitions this summer are veterans Chris Paul and Dario Saric, whose skills complement those of the traditional starting lineup, as well as 2021 draft lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses.・I am also developing Moody’s skills.
The training camp, the first phase of which concluded Friday, is aimed at integrating major changes to Golden State’s roster.
The most important thing may be the interaction between Curry and Paul. It took Kevin Durant and Curry two months to find traction, but CP3 is currently in the early stages of the process of finding his way.
“It’s the speed Steph plays with and his ability to shoot the ball,” Paul said. “I’ve played with some really, really great players. But his ability wasn’t just about shooting, he was also able to set up off the dribble and pass. . . . He had a lot of fun with the guys around him as well. is.
“As I go along, I kind of start to understand.”
CP3 slips past defenses with careful and deliberate navigation. He almost slows down. Steph attacks with constant movement and constant acceleration. Poole’s approach mimicked Curry’s in many ways, but the contrast between Paul and Curry forces defenses to deal with two completely different styles. Each is a “counter” to the other.
Steph said the blending process is ongoing as the two veterans work together during and after practice.
“(Paul) obviously plays a certain way and I play a certain way,” Curry said Thursday. “There’s a challenge there. I’ll lead certain parts of the training. He’ll lead certain parts of the training. That way we can sharpen our toolkit.
“As time goes on, we’ll probably do things individually based on our needs. But right now, in terms of the pace and the work we’re trying to put in, it’s really good.”
The last true counter to Curry at point guard was Shaun Livingston, who retired after the 2019 season. Livingston, who lacked Curry’s versatility, grew by finding matchups that were advantageous to his teammates and himself. Livingston’s five seasons with Golden State each ended in the NBA Finals.
What worked for the Warriors from 2015 to 2019 wasn’t available to them last season. They did well enough to win a championship in 2022, but slumped in 2023.
“Our strength has to be our ability to adapt on the fly during a game, no matter who’s in the lineup,” Curry said. “That’s what the scenario calls for.”
That was the decision made by members of the lab’s front office. We’ll find out whether that’s the solution in the coming months.
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