Bigger Isn’t Better: Why Small Ball is Working for the Warriors
By Ryan Hurlow
Both Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli were healthy and ready to battle DeAndre Jordan and the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday afternoon.
Ask any Warriors fan and they’ll tell you that Bogut was the missing key to beating the Clippers during the previous post-season. However, neither Bogut nor Ezeli provided the essential defensive impact needed to defeat the Clippers.
In no way does that confirm Mark Jackson‘s sentiment of rim protectors being “overrated.”
Instead, it was the Warriors’ “small ball” lineup that earned the win and caused fits for Doc Rivers‘ roster. The absence of Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford allowed the Warriors to easily capitalize.
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Kerr and his coaching staff were well-prepared for the Clippers before their matinee showdown. He recognized that Stephen Curry would be immediately trapped as soon as he brought up the ball. This prompted him to go with his smaller unit of Curry, Klay Thompson, Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala/Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green at center. This lineup was ideal as it features capable playmakers and scorers that can stretch the floor.
Curry’s offensive firepower is the first component to making the smaller lineup work efficiently. The Clippers’ strategy was to shut Curry down and force his teammates to carry the offensive load. While Curry’s performance may appear mediocre on the stat sheet (12 points on 3-of-9 shooting), his mere presence and passing ability allowed his teammates to get fairly easy looks.
We can see examples of Curry’s “gravity” in the GIF below. Whereas the Clippers effectively employed this strategy during last year’s playoffs and during the most recent Christmas game, it failed to contain the Warriors offense this time around.
Defensive Player of the Year candidate Draymond Green was another essential piece in the Warriors’ win. By placing him at center, Kerr opted for a quicker lineup with the threat of the long ball always present (Draymond is shooting at a career high 34.5%). In the GIF above, there are obvious instances of Green’s passing ability. It’s been proven time and time again that the smaller lineup’s greatest asset is its ability to switch easily on pick-and-rolls. Green has the foot speed to guard players like Chris Paul as well as the length and positioning to limit players like Glen Davis and Jordan at times.
Mar 8, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) passes the ball after dribbling past Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) in the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 106-89. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Livingston‘s post All-Star break emergence has provided a huge boost for the Warriors. He’s remained aggressive on offense, looking to score more and capitalize on match-ups with his size. His improved play only showcases the Warriors’ depth even further, relieving Curry and Thompson of some of the scoring load. He allows Curry to run off curls and screens for more open looks. His build is perfect for the small ball unit as well. Standing at 6’7″ with a 6’11” wingspan, Livingston’s length is a nightmare for many opposing guards.
The small ball unit is most effective when the opponent lacks a dominant low-post scorer. It may not be able to shut down the likes of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, who look to repeatedly pound teams inside the paint. In that case, Bogut would come in to offer ample rim protection.
This small unit possesses not only great shooting ability but also superb defensive IQ needed to disrupt passing lanes and force bad shots leading to fast break opportunities. It ultimately forces the opposing team to adjust to the Warriors accordingly. Given this lineup’s success, we can expect Kerr to keep running with it until a team finds a way to negate its abilities.