The Golden State Warriors won Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday, 121-106, thanks to the supporting cast playing well and Stephen Curry’s masterful dismantling of the Lakers’ defense.
Basketball pundits often say the superstar isn’t a “traditional point guard.”
Curry’s playmaking prowess, however, is on full display against Los Angeles. He is averaging eight assists per game and has reached or surpassed 12 assists in two games.
In Golden State’s first-round win at Sacramento, Curry scored 50 points — the most in a Game 7 in NBA playoffs history. On defense, the Lakers have adopted a defensive strategy centered on minimizing Curry’s scoring and his ability to rain threes.
Throughout the series, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has modified his team’s pick-and-roll coverage on Curry and varied his on-ball defender. Curry is remarkably adept, however, at exploiting the opportunities presented by the defense and taking what is given to him.
For much of the series, Curry has looked more like a traditional point guard than the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA.
Curry’s floor game, in fact, is at a career-best level.
To win the series and exact revenge on LeBron James for leading Cleveland over the Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, Curry must maintain control on the offensive end.
This means not only scoring but executing efficiently and setting the game’s tempo.
The Lakers must beat the Warriors in Game 6 at home because Curry isn’t going to let James steal a second Game 7 on Golden State’s home court.
