The Golden State Warriors have such a smart offensive lineup that any player who gets lost off the ball on defense is going to pay for it. Defensive weaknesses are going to be punished relentlessly against this Warriors group. Sam Vecenie of the Game Theory podcast recently broke it down:
“Because of how smart everybody on the court is for Golden State—and I will throw Kuminga into that now within that scheme, he has been very good to this point within scheme for Golden State in these first two games—but certainly you look at the triumvirate of Steph, Jimmy, and Draymond,” Vecenie said. “And then on top of it, you have Podz, who’s super smart and moves without the ball incredibly well, Buddy Hield moves without the ball incredibly well, Al Horford moves the ball so well and is this unbelievable screener, right? Gary Payton II moves incredibly well around the offense because he’s been within it for so long.
“Man, it’s just a nightmare to guard at the end of the day, and they’re going to catch so many teams here early in the season while teams are still trying to figure out defensive rotations and kind of build that cohesion.”
What makes the Warriors’ offense so special?
Stephen Curry alone is a problem that’s impossible for other teams to deal with. His three-point shooting and constant off-ball movement create nightmares for even the best defenders in the NBA.
Having to constantly track him around the court forces defenses to be in tip-top shape, and even if they can follow him effectively, the rest of the Warriors’ lineup is pretty brutal to deal with, too.
The current iteration of the Warriors may be the more nightmarish in recent memory, at least in terms of building a roster to effectively aid Curry’s off-ball movement.
As Vecenie noted, Butler is an extremely smart player, and Green has more experience than anyone helping Curry find open space away from the play.
Al Horford is one of the smartest big men in the league. His screening and passing are perfect fits next to Curry’s play style, and their young players are learning the process, too.
Add in off-ball cutters like Gary Payton II, and defenses are constantly being tested, even when Curry isn’t the one being involved in off-ball actions.
Butler could be cutting, Payton could be cutting, Horford could be screening them in the corner. All the while, Curry is handling the ball at the top of the key, ready to make a simple pass to beat the defense.
This Warriors offense is a beautiful thing, especially off the ball.
