NBA: Is The Small-Ball Era In The Association Here to Stay?

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; The Golden State Warriors celebrate after winning game six of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Warriors won 105-97. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

As the NBA continues to thrive in the small-ball era, we wonder if it’s here to stay or if it’s another passing basketball fad 

Last year the Golden State Warriors took the NBA by storm. Armed with a multitude of young talent and a new coach, the Warriors quickly became the darlings of the NBA. That showcased that small ball is ever present in today’s NBA.

After cruising to a historic 67 win season, the Warriors and Steve Kerr toppled the greatness of LeBron James and the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers. Was their success due to small ball or was it something more?

Small ball is a relatively new term used to define a style of basketball where a team sacrifices height, physical strength, and low-post offense/defense in favor of a lineup of smaller players for speed, agility and increased scoring (often from the three-point line).

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The thing is…this is not all that modern of a concept. Many teams throughout the history of the NBA have utilized smaller lineups. One glaring example would be all-time coaching wins leader, Don Nelson.

“Nellie-ball,” as it affectionately became known as, centered on the ideal of using smaller faster players to create unique advantages out on the court. Sound familiar?

This style also led to the introduction of the point forward and one of the most notable things Nelson ever did, playing Dirk Nowitzki at the center. Though this led to wins and an entertaining style that appealed to the fans, it never translated its success to championships.

Over the course of time, tons of coaches have employed small ball strategies (Mike D’Antoni, Gregg Popovich, Mike Budenholzer). The question always was can you sustain and win championships that way? Golden State answered that question with a roaring victory over the Cavaliers.

Steve Kerr’s much talked about move, putting Draymond Green at center, ignited a fire within the Warriors. Now, after seeing the success the Golden State enjoyed, it is inevitable that teams will try to replicate the success. After all, this is a copy-cat league.

Time to examine what makes the small ball style and what determines its staying power.

Next: Offensive Mismatches