Celtics Have Figured Out How To Shut Down Warriors Shooters

With one of the most ferocious backcourt defenses in the league, the Celtics have been able to exploit the Warriors over the past few seasons.

The Boston Celtics joined an exclusive club on Wednesday night following their 99-86 defeat of the Golden State Warriors.

In fact, this group only has one member, as Boston became the only NBA franchise to beat the Warriors at Oracle Arena in each of the last two seasons, a feat that not even the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers can claim.

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This victory marked the second consecutive year in which the Celtics had snapped a Golden State home winning streak of at least 10 games, as they sliced the Warriors 54-game Oracle Arena run of dominance last April before pounding the 10-game surge that Stephen Curry & Co. were riding this time around.

While the triumph did come with 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant sidelined due to a left knee injury, the Warriors still had much of the core that has won them two straight Western Conference championships intact. Despite their recent shooting skid, Curry and fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson are two of the most prolific shooting threats that the NBA has ever witnessed. Boston’s tenacious backcourt of Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and Jae Crowder appears to be the lone force capable of containing these perennial All-Stars from finding open looks.

The main catalyst for the Warriors commanding presence at home has been their ability to ride the three-point shot to furious runs, putting teams in the rearview mirror in the blink of an eye with a flurry of makes from the perimeter. At Oracle Arena this season, Curry has made an incredible 46 percent of his three-pointers while Thompson has knocked down a stunning 48.2 percent of his outside looks. These two shooters thrive on the setting of Oracle Arena, with the vigorous pace of the Golden State offense putting opposing defenses in numerous predicaments while leading to wide open three-point attempts in transition.

Far too often, the Warriors scintillating ball movement is too rapid for the opposition, giving Curry and Thompson the ability to square up for three-point looks without receiving a constant hand in their face. This is the primary reason why Golden State leads the league with 117.0 points per game and a team field goal percentage of 49.4 percent.

However, the Warriors offense is much more stagnant when performing against the Celtics, as they were held below 100 points at home for the first time all season on Wednesday night. This is a direct result of the intensified defensive pressure that these shooters receive from Smart, Bradley, and Crowder. When guarding Curry and Thompson, these defenders fight through screens with reckless abandon, instantly jumping on top of their shooting hand once a catch is made to prevent them from receiving a lucrative angle to release a shot.

This trio of All-Defensive Team-caliber defenders make creating a shot a formidable burden for Golden State’s dynamic duo, consistently staying in their grill while forcing them into a plethora of uncomfortable positions. While Thompson might have scored just 13 points in the Warriors’ 94-87 loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 2, the reason for his struggles was not suffocating defense on the part of the Windy City’s squad, rather it was simply a case of 10 of the 11 three-point looks that he received not falling through the hoop.

When Curry missed each of his 11 three-point attempts in a narrow win over the Philadelphia 76ers on February 27, it was an example of the rare night in which his shot does not drop. While Curry might be the two-time reigning NBA MVP, he is still human, and whenever a player relies on their shot to facilitate their offensive approach, off-nights are inevitable. However, the troubles that the Splash Brothers have against Boston are directly correlated to the defensive intensity that this team showcases.

Against the Celtics, Curry and Thompson’s scuffles can be traced back to them not being able to get their shot off. In the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game, in the midst of being hounded by Bradley, Curry had room to release just one shot. It missed, leading to Curry garnering a 2:0 turnover-to-made shot ratio and a plus-minus rating of -12 for the quarter. For Thompson, the problem was identical, as he found the opportunity for three shot attempts with just one being a three-pointer. All three missed the bottom of the net, resulting in a combined one point between the two sharpshooters.

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With Curry and Thompson’s offensive firepower negated by the Celtics, the Warriors offense was effectively suffocated, scoring just 12 points in the fourth quarter while relinquishing what was a two-point advantage heading into the final stanza. Boston is perhaps the only team in the NBA with the defensive means to effectively silence the Splash Brothers from even finding open looks.