NBA: Is The Small-Ball Era In The Association Here to Stay?
By Jordan Yant
Jun 9, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard
Stephen Curry(30) shoots the ball during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game three of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
The Key Components
If it was as simple as grabbing a bunch of small athletic guys and throwing them on a basketball court in order to win, then everybody could replicate the Warriors success. Everyone could try to play small ball, sure, but it is all but guaranteed that many teams would fail.
Truth is, there are numerous reasons why the small-ball model worked for Golden State, but would not work for everyone else. Stellar outside shooters, depth, versatile wing players, sound defensive principles, and Draymond Green. That’s just a few things that quickly come to mind.
Given some more time there would certainly be plenty of others.
Outside Shooting
Outside shooting is something that is irreplaceable when it comes to the success of small ball. Sure, when it is the regular season, teams can get out in transition and score as much as they want without having to shoot the ball efficiently.
But in the postseason, where every possession is a challenge, those opportunities are not nearly as easy come by. The Warriors shot a league high 39.8 percent from 3-point range last season on the 4th highest attempts per game (27).
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Both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are lights out shooters. They don’t call them the “Splash Brothers” for nothing.
They were numbers 1 and 2 in most 3-pointers made per game last season. The fact of the matter is if you replace Thompson with someone like Tony Allen, Golden State does not enjoy nearly the offensive renaissance they enjoyed last season.
Without Draymond Green (34 percent from 3) and Harrison Barnes (40 percent from 3) being legitimate threats to knock down a 3-pointer, the coveted spacing the Warriors showcased would be null. Who knows what would have happened if Andre Iguadola was incapable of knocking down a jump shot during the Finals? Who knows if Golden State wins?
Next: Key Components Cont.