Cleveland Cavaliers: What To Do Against The Golden State Warriors

Step Three: Attack the rim early and relentlessly with physicality

This goes without saying but the Golden State Warriors biggest weakness is their interior defense. By using Zaza Pachulia as their starting center, that’s their most immediate defensive weakness and it’s one the Cavs need to try to exploit from the outset. They can achieve this in the fullcourt, as they run straight towards the rim and whoever is already back for the Warriors defense. They can also achieve this by running pick-and-rolls with James and Irving.

With Irving, players are likely to try get over the screen and when that happens Irving just has to attack or pass the ball back to the big man (who should be rolling to the rim or ready to pick-and-pop). With James, players are likely going to go under the screen and leave the big on James. If they don’t, he should use his superior size and strength to try to muscle his way to the basket and if not convert, at least draw contact. James, whose first step isn’t as explosive as it used to be and who doesn’t have the best grip of the ball on crossover attempts, will have to work to get past the opposing center.

Nonetheless, if he finds a way to get himself a running start before he drives, he should be able to get all the way to rim.

There, he’ll convert, draw contact, or find an open shooter.

What’s important for both Irving and James when they drive is that they try to draw contact. Not only are they, and especially Irving, more likely to get foul calls if they play with more physicality than finesse, they will wear on the bodies of the Warriors defenders as time goes on. Players don’t want James bulldozing his way through them on every possession and they’ll move out of his way if he does it steadily. It’s not football but against the Warriors, physicality is a must for the Cavaliers to thrive.