Stephen Curry, surrounded by his teammates, holds the Bill Russell trophy after being chosen as the MVP of the NBA Finals. Photo: AP
The NBA Finals are over. The Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics 103-90 in a frantic sixth game played at TD Garden and emerged as a legitimate champion who not only relied on Stephen Curry’s offensive talent but also displayed a brilliant defensive system for achieve his seventh title, the fourth in the past six years – in the mecca of basketball.
But let’s get to the analysis of the match. No one has secured a candidate in the previous one. We all knew, of course, the pressure they both had. Some, those of Ime Udoka, for having survived because there was no tomorrow. The others, those of Steve Kerr, for avoiding a seventh game that could be a coin toss over the home court advantage.
Boston came into play with the aim of attacking Golden State’s physical weaknesses. Already on the first possession, Al Horford posted from behind, winning ahead of Klay Thompson and equalizing the foul. Then and in the following attacks the external cut of Marcus Smart on Curry. This situation forced the Warriors defense to double-cross and opened the door to open-shot conversions upon Smart’s return to teammate Jaylen Brown.
Stephen Curry celebrates with his coach Steve Kerr. Photo: AFP
At first, the Golden State point guard’s combination of physical wear and tear, added to the energy radiated by the TD Garden, it seemed like another game was going to be played with the locals as comfortable rulers.
But none of this happened. Marcus Smart’s early exit for fouls plus the defensive change of pace gave him crazy dizziness. It looked like more than five defenders. Penetration closures appeared everywhere and continued to defend the strong gestures of their two offensive backers, Brown and Jayson Tatum, who inevitably had to progress with their less skilled hand, the left.
Draymond Green became the owner of all the aids and his own board. He jumped on every penetration of the Boston perimeter and mostly defensive rebounds came off as a little downstream point guard who went from defense to offense very quickly. Everyone started to defend themselves and everyone went up to attack. The initial 12-2 was canceled by the Golden State in another series, but 21-0 in favor of San Francisco. They were a hurricane. You couldn’t believe how they were playing on all three tiers of the game: defense, transition and offense.
Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the three greats of the Warriors. Photo: AFP
They did it with training small ball, four perimeter and a false 5. Curry, Klay Thompson, Gary Payton and Jordan Poole were a tornado, added to Green, who played his best game in all areas of the pitch. This time he defended, bounced, lifted the ball and was even left open three times behind the three-point line and converted.
If it weren’t for a bad closing, the game would be pretty much over. It closed at 15 but it was for a difference of 20 … Boston’s reaction came lightly from his veteran Horford, who the few times he had time and space and in an extra pass on the corner, gave the owners of home a slight illusion of getting into play.
They lowered the elevation and the TD Garden was ablaze, but the Golden State defense was again present. With the speed of their legs and much more than their arms, they got tired of retrieving the balls. That same defense and Boston’s losing mistakes didn’t give them a chance to reverse the situation. Horford and Brown defended their team, while Tatum continued to be dominated by Canadian Andrew Wiggins, another who had a very good final streak.
Curry’s excitement before becoming champion for the fourth time with the Warriors. Photo: Reuters
Horford gave his life, but he also gave advantages, as in the changes he suffered with Curry, who accompanied him from side to side and unbalanced at will.
The rise of Boston was also the product of over-control. Poole is not the same without Curry, and the Warriors have held the ball too long, shooting in the final seconds of each possession. That offensive decline was offset on the scoreboard by recoveries in defense.
Golden State ended the game with its star and MVP. This time he did not have the accompaniment of Klay Thompson, who was not good for the basket, but he had the best Green and the regularity of Wiggins who did his job perfectly. dry to Jayson Tatum.
It was much more Golden State. His under-four line-up paid too much, as Payton and Poole are hard to match for a squad that is taller on the perimeter and with big insides, who have had a hard time matching smaller, faster players.
Golden State achieved this by executing a defensive philosophy that is the best on the planet, that of stopping every drive in the paint without allowing opponents to shoot.
Gary Payton II tries to contain his leader, Stephen Curry, seconds before the end of the match at the TD Garden. Photo: Reuters.
His athletic and versatile staff, fueled by that well-known bond and IQ, paid great dividends for the Warriors, whose defensive system became the key to this title that is still and will continue to be celebrated in San Francisco.
A hug, friends. A pleasure to have been a spectator of this wonderful ending and much more to share it with all of you.
Oscar Sanchez
Source: Clarin
