memphis grizzlies defensive strategy (Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images South America)
Here’s a quick defensive strategy the Golden State Warriors should employ on the Memphis Grizzlies tonight.
We’ll start with Mike Conley, who plays the game at his own speed, the tape on him shouts Poor Man’s Allen Iverson.
If you fall asleep for a split second defensively, he’ll knife and explode right by you. Turning your head against Conley to find that screener just plain isn’t an option.
The Warriors must roar them out defensively to prevent him from dicing them up like pineapples. Everyone on the court should be aware of his blow by jet-like speed and, if you’re playing off the ball, you’d better listen to Jim Barnett (#KeepJB!) and “keep your eyes between the ball and your man.”
Extending one way or the other behind the screen is not the way to play Conley because of his ability to change direction.
My advice: maintain a direct path or rather stack (“mirror”) up defensively playing directly behind the primary defender on screen-and-roll action.
It’s the lesser of two evils giving him the jump shot coming off the screen than it is to play him one way or the other.
While he’s on the right side of the court behind the three point line, apply major pressure and force him baseline from the short porch and left from the wing. Don’t relax when Conley hesitates, he’s still looking to drive all the way to the goal.
The Mikey-Strator: Pause at 00:00
Mike Conley Full Highlights 2013 Playoffs Round 1, Game 2:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VExgUaYuQZQ&w=560&h=315]
Notice where DeAndre Jordan is standing on the court. He’s sixteen-and-a-half feet from the basket and that’s too far. The Warriors should make it fifteen feet. Notice the position DJ’s body is in. He’s standing on a skateboard. The correct position is what’s referred to as the horse stance. This way, he can retreat defensively to defend the iron
One more note: The man defending this Mike will have to stay with Marc Gasol on the pick-and-pop if he knocks down the first couple shots.
Keeping Conley restricted to the man guarding him and the man playing behind the screener will eliminate a lot of what Mike Miller does on the basketball court, which involves waiting to be left alone due to Conley’s activity.
Miller is comfortable from at least 26 feet away from the basket, so that’s where the Dubs have to start playing his three point “assassin” shot from.
Let’s go back to the Mikey-Strator: Pause at forty seconds.
Mike Miller 19 Points Full Highlights (2/28/2014):
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVhhmbWB06g&w=560&h=315]
Witness the barn yard door play develop (Elevator Screen). It’s going to be hard enough to get through it isn’t it?
Here’s my suggestion. Rather than through the “door” and either getting tripped up or having to hurdle it, keep the man in pursuit behind at around six feet from the basket. The defender at the top of the screen represented by Kevin Durant, should turn his body 90 degrees to face the point guard.
Then step up into the passing lane. Unless you end up with Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson on Gasol or Zach Randolph as a result of this, the players should always switch assignments. If Miller is on the right side of the court make him put the ball on the floor.
Shot Charts (Courtesy of Vorped) :
http://vorped.com/bball/index.php/player/shotchart/1076-Mike-Conley
http://vorped.com/bball/index.php/player/shotchart/1233-Mike-Miller
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