King James Gospel
Fansided

Four lessons the Houston Rockets taught us about the Golden State Warriors

By Nathan Beighle

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 15: LeBron James
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 15: LeBron James /
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OAKLAND, CA – MAY 20: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets in Game Three of the Western Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 20, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – MAY 20: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets in Game Three of the Western Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 20, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Sag off on Draymond Green

Superstars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are hard enough to contain. They are dynamic, can get to the rim and can knock down from four feet behind the three-point line. Forcing defenders to play basically on top of them is the only way to win.

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With that comes driving lanes. Driving lanes that leave shooters open. Unlike against the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers have to understand who to guard. Multiple times against Boston, Cleveland rotated to guard Marcus Smart just to have him pass it to a wide open Jaylen Brown.

It’s the exact same situation except against the Warriors. In these situations, any mistake is a near automatic three points for Golden State.

Against the Rockets, Draymond Green shot 59.2% on shots within 10 feet. But, when forced to actually pull up, Green shot less than 14%. If you’re Cleveland, swarming Curry and Durant is far more important than guarding Green in the mid-range and outside.

Ideally, the Cavs will allow James to guard Green. He can sag off and get some quality rest while carrying the offensive burden. James, who has mastered the art of resting within the game, should see this as the perfect opportunity to rest while also being closer to the rim to secure the defensive board.

Houston taught us not to worry about Draymond Green, and Cleveland should adopt the same idea.