During the 2010s, almost every NBA team wanted to become like the Golden State Warriors. The Dubs played a revolutionary style of basketball that focused on motion and the three-point line. It transformed the landscape so much that it fundamentally changed how the game has been played since then.
LeBron James has intimate knowledge of how the Warriors’ system is run due to him playing them in the Finals as a part of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He shared his thoughts on what he thinks made the Warriors a difficult team to face.
LeBron James praises the Golden State Warriors’ split post plays during their peak years
In the latest episode fo the Mind the Game podcast, LeBron James talked about how the Golden State Warriors used the post splits to control the game and revolutionize how NBA games are being coached.
James emphasized that Draymond Green is the linchpin that makes the play work for the Golden State Warriors. He said that defenders had to be careful when it came to guarding him because he could use prying hands to draw fouls.
“When Draymond catches the ball in the post, the first thing you had to do is track his eyes,” he said.
James also detailed that defenders must keep themselves glued to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson whenever they use the screen to get open. Not allowing them any sort of space to do their thing was essential in keeping the Warriors’s offense limited.
Finally, he also said that the two players on the weak side of the split post also had to be accounted for. Steve Kerr built the Warriors in such a way that the weak-side players could also contribute to the offense should the play break down.
The Golden State Warriors revolutionized how the game is played, and many basketball historians won’t be able to forget the changes they brought to the game.
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