How Boston’s drop-coverage has stumped Golden State Warriors

It was a bold move for the Boston Celtics to deploy a drop coverage against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

I mean, really? You’re going to give the NBA’s all-time leading 3-point shooter enough space to shoot from deep on nearly every pick-and-roll? It’s you’re funeral.

And yet, somehow, the Dubs have found themselves down 2-1 in the NBA Finals. While there are plenty of factors at play — the drop coverage is something that has oddly stumped the Warriors.

You might be thinking, how exactly is the drop responsible for any of this? After all, Curry has been a flamethrower, averaging 31.3 points on 48% 3-point shooting. Clearly, having Al Horford play under screens has led to a bombardment of 3-pointers from Curry.

The key here is limiting the Warriors from getting everyone else rolling. Think of the strategy used to stop LeBron in 2015, make him beat you all on your own or force someone else to step out of their comfort zone and rise above to win the series.

Right now, Curry is getting the LeBron treatment.

The Celtics have essentially conceded a Curry flurry in favor of stopping the Dubs from getting into their usual offensive flow.

Typically, teams hedge as high as possible on Curry screens in order to stop him from shooting. This leads to Curry quickly turning the corner against slower bigs and getting the defense into recovery mode.

At this point, it’s over. The Warriors thrive in scramble mode and generate most of their offense through elite ball movement that all starts with someone breaking down the defense.

By having a lanky defender like Hordford drop under the screens, Curry is left with two options. Either shoot a pull-up three over his outstretched arms or pass the ball and restart the offense.

The Golden State Warriors have been stumped by a bold strategy from the Boston Celtics to concede Curry’s 3-point shooting.

This subtle change in plans has proved useful for the Celtics. No one else on the Warriors is averaging more than 17 points per game and it has felt like Curry is the only option at times. It should come as no surprise the two-time MVP is averaging just 3.7 assists.

More detrimental has been Draymond Green. Without Green getting the ball in short-roll against a defense in help-mode, he has been rendered useless on offense. He’s averaging 5.0 points and assists, a rate of production that just doesn’t cut it.

How can the Warriors overcome this?

Firstly, Curry could simply shoot them out of the gym. It would be tough but if the Warriors can play proper defense, the Celtics will not be able to keep up with an explosive game from Steph.

More realistic is a change of game plan. They could shrink the floor by setting screens closer to the 3-point line and forcing Horford to play higher up or concede easier shots. Another option is forcing a switch and allowing Curry to go one-on-one with Horford, making it easier for him to get into the teeth of the defense.

Lastly? Someone else just needs to step up. Klay Thompson has struggled to create his own shot and Jordan Poole has been wildly inconsistent. If neither of them gets going, could an aggressive Andrew Wiggins change the tides of this series?

What about Green? Can Draymond find a way to increase his production by attacking the basket and creating looks for others through his drives?

Something needs to give but as of now, the Celtics’ bold move has paid off.