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How Game Four Was Different for the Warriors

By Greg Chin

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A deadly combination of fast-paced, up-tempo offense and an elite shutdown defence – that was the Golden State Warriors’ calling card all season long. Seemingly able to shut down an opposing team’s offense and run down multiple threes on the other end, the Warriors played like they were kings on the court.

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But against the King, the Warriors haven’t looked like themselves. By playing a slow isolation-heavy offense, the Cleveland Cavaliers ended up stifling the Warriors’ offense, preventing them from playing the up-tempo pace they’ve been accustomed to all season long. The series (for the most part) has been close: a few made buckets here and there could have drastically swung the results – if Stephen Curry and the Warriors made a few more threes in Games 2 and 3, we could be looking at a 3-0 lead heading into Game 4.

Instead, the Warriors were down 2-1 and under intense media scrutiny. Heading into Game 4, all the talk was on lineup changes, how the Warriors could stop LeBron, or if Matthew Dellavedova is the Curry-stopper. Coincidentally, this was a position the Warriors were familiar with – in their second-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, their offense was out of sorts for the first three games, and they also found themselves in a 2-1 deficit.

And similar to that series, coach Steve Kerr stepped in with a brilliant tactical manoeuvre. In the Grizzlies series, he assigned Andrew Bogut to guard Tony Allen, effectively freeing him to be a “safety” of sorts. In Game Four, Kerr took a risky gamble: he removed Bogut from the starting lineup, putting Andre Iguodala in instead.

Why was this a risky move? The Warriors have played with the same starting lineup for close to 100 games this season, and this was the first time the coaching staff saw a necessary change. Bogut has been a key part of the Warriors’ defence – their last line of defence in the league’s best defence. His career was rejuvenated under Kerr, who kept a close eye on his minutes, and incorporated his passing into their offensive sets. Removing Bogut meant that the 6’7” Draymond Green would be their de facto center – that’s right, a natural small forward playing at center.

Bogut played three minutes all game, and his lone meaningful contribution was a foul that forced LeBron James to receive medical attention.

The Warriors took small-ball to a whole new extreme, playing David Lee or Draymond Green as their center, evoking memories of last season’s first round series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Only this time, the tactical change wasn’t forced, but thought out and chosen.

Coach Kerr even had the “audacity” to dust off the corpse of David Lee and play him 15 minutes in a pivotal NBA Finals game. After being an afterthought for most of the regular season, Lee might just be the spark that the Warriors need to seal the series. His play in the previous two games has fans who were calling for him to be traded eating crow. What a strange world we live in, where David Lee is the off-the-bench X-factor for the 67-win Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Up until Game Four, I maintained that the Warriors were yet to play a complete game. We saw snippets of their quality, but they were often used to regain the lead after falling into a large deficit. The Warriors’ performance in the overtime period of Game One was their best basketball of the series, and in that, they limited the Cavaliers to just one field goal in five minutes of play. Shooting woes, offensive blunders, nerve, and a lack of confidence were all to blame, but it was clear that the Cavs were yet to feel the might of a well-oiled Warriors’ machine.

Jun 11, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

They felt that in Game Four. The Game Four Warriors were what we’ve been accustomed to seeing all season long. The swagger, the high fives, the smiles and enjoyment were back on the players’ faces. After entering the tunnel with their heads down at the end of Games Two and Three, they rediscovered the pep in their step. All the tension and doubt evaporated with the win, and the momentum swung back towards the Warriors’ favour.

But of course, the series isn’t over. At 2-2, the Warriors have regained the slightest of advantages. The Cavs have thrown everything they can muster against the Dubs, and have two wins to show for their effort. But their depth and flexibility is now going to be tested: can they, like the Warriors, find a personnel change somewhere that will help win their matchup?

These important tactical questions need to be addressed and answered (and we will, over the next couple of days). But for now, let’s just all bask in the glory of an important win, and remain vindicated in our faith in our Warriors.

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