Nuggets, Warriors Used Fine-Tuned Schemes to Advance

The first round of the NBA playoffs saw two series that went seven games. In Houston, the veteran Golden State Warriors flexed their experience, while in Denver, the Nuggets won their fourth Game 7 in the Nikola Jokić era.

Two phenomenal series that went the distance saw crucial strategies and role players rise in the playoffs.

Aaron Gordon’s game-winning, series-tying tip-in highlighted the Denver and LA Clippers series in Game 4.

Down 3-1, Houston blew out Golden State twice to force a Game 7, where Buddy Hield’s 33 points told Houston ‘night-night’.

Nuggets Cut the Clippers

Two X-factors that helped Denver edge out Los Angeles in Game 7: Russell Westbrook’s shot-making and trap coverage on James Harden.

The Nuggets trapped Harden, putting two defenders on the ball and trusting the rotation on the backside.

Harden sees the trap and throws into terrific positioning by Denver’s backside defense. Michael Porter Jr. is the low man-weak-side defender on the baseline and gets his body in front of the roll man, Ivica Zubac.

The other defender involved, Christian Braun, positions himself between his man, Kawhi Leonard, and Zubac. Braun times his help defense perfectly to get his hands on the pass and cause a turnover.

The Nuggets forced stationary shooters like Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn to make plays out of the short roll.

Early in the fourth quarter, they show a softer trap on Harden, using the sideline as a third defender. Harden makes a poor pass as the roll man, Jones Jr., has to reach behind him, giving the retreating Porter Jr. a chance at a deflection. The result should be an easy deuce for Russell Westbrook, whose missed dunk still ends with a Peyton Watson lay-up.

Again, Harden faces a trap at near half-court and makes an errant pass that doesn’t allow Dunn an opportunity to make a play out of the short roll.

So, the Nuggets’ strategy of trapping Harden led their defense to key in on the former MVP. 

Now to the Westbrook X-factor.

After shooting 32 percent from downtown in the regular season, he shot 13-31 (41 percent) in the series against his former team. 

One of the keys to shooting is about the reps. Westbrook shows a fantastic rep here.

In a clutch moment in Game 1, Westbrook sets his feet and holds the follow-through to give Denver the lead late. 

Westbrook shows another good rep here with his shot in Game 5. He loads his feet on the gather before hitting a rare pull-up three-pointer.

Denver is living and dying by shots like these from Westbrook in these playoffs.

Warriors’ Pedigree Prevails

The Warriors do a beautiful job using Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green on cuts and off-ball screens.

In this clip from Game 1, Houston switches the off-ball pin-down screens to get the Warriors out of their first action. Butler sets a cross screen for Curry that the Rockets also switch. Green threads the needle to Curry on the 45-degree cut from the near wing for the deuce.

Houston chooses to trap Curry on this pick-and-roll. Drawing the advantage, Curry makes the short roll pass to Gary Payton II. 

Both Butler and Green cut to the basket. They executed the cuts with enough spacing that left the low man, Tari Eason, stuck with two players to try and guard. The result is a Butler lay-up.

Again, Houston takes Golden State out of their first action with Jabari Smith Jr.’s ball-denying Curry. 

Butler slips the screen for Curry and ends up with Smith on his high side after the switch. 

Even though the switch should give the Rockets an advantage, Smith’s poor positioning gives Butler the advantage, and Butler draws a foul.

On the defensive end, Green’s strategy when defending the Rockets’ All-Star Alperen Şengün gave Golden State an edge.

While Şengün’s playoff numbers (20.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 45/37/62 shooting splits) were better than his regular season numbers (19.1, 10.3, and 4.9 on 49/23/69), Green was still effective against Şengün via his psychological game.

Defending an empty side pick-and-roll, Green stays in front of Fred VanVleet before daring Şengün to hit a push shot at the nail. Green short-closes on Şengün, who alligator arms the push shot.

With the game in the balance, the former Defensive Player of the Year goes one-on-one against Şengün. 

Green’s right foot plants hard on the last step, which helps him take the contact before putting his hand up to force Şengün into a low-percentage hook shot and the game-winning stop.

Tough Roads Ahead

Denver heads into Round 2 facing another one of Westbrook’s former teams in Oklahoma City. They will have to come up with answers for defending MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Warriors will take on Minnesota, where two of the most physical players in the game — Green and Julius Randle — will go at it down low.