Warriors, cont.

Look, I love the Warriors as much as everyone, and I think this team is hilarious and wonderful all at the same time, they are the zeitgeist right now, but to say that their 3 wins are somehow indicative of a tipping point in basketball strategy doesn’t make sense to me.

First off, you’re argument that it makes statistically sense to shoot lots of threes is just flawed.

Sure, it is easier to shoot 33% from deep than %50 inside the arch, but that completely ignores free throws and in-game strategy.

If you drive there are three reasonable outcomes.
1. make (2 pts)
2. miss (0 pts)
3. get fouled

Practically speaking, jump shooting teams don’t get fouled. This means a couple things.

1. no points from the line
2. the other team is never in foul trouble.

Both of these things are problems, because as everyone who has played basketball should know, if you’re not hitting your shots the way to heat up is to get to the line and get in rhythm. I team whose strategy is to constantly hoist from the outside both lives and dies by the three.

Also – and this is more important - the Warriors aren’t even playing drive-and-kick ball at all.



They’re taking advantage of the individual matchups, and shooting the first shot they have. This makes them terribly fun to watch, but does not mean that they’re playing the same type of game as the Suns at all. What is similar about those two teams is that they have unconventional coaches, great lead gaurds, and score a lot. Despite averaging the second most points (104 to Phx’s 108) Golden State average the third least assists per game (16 even … Phx averages 27)

They’re not winning because they’re distributing the ball but rather because they’re best player (Baron Davis) has gotten hot while Dallas best player (Dirk) has been soft – game 5 aside. And because they’re all crazy and have fans to match.

You say you would be stupid to argue that slowing the pace up and grinding in through a big man doesn’t work, but you’re essentially making that argument. Since 1990 (I’m not checking past there), the Bulls first championship, the argument could be made that every championship team except the Pistons either had the most dominant post player in the game, or MJ (who for the last three may well have been the most dominate post player in the game).

You talk about penetration and quick three’s but use the wrong example. The Suns play that type of game, and play it beautifully. If you want to use an example about ball movement and quick shots use them. GS is winning on luck, heart, and because Nelson owns the Mavs, not because they play college ball.

I would love it if the Warriors won the championship, but to make the argument that they probably will (which is the argument you’re making, by saying that “uptempo wins games”) doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Just like 12 or 13 seeds never win championships, I think its crazy to try to build a team around a concept that, historically, has never proven to be the best … especially over one that always has.