Warriors overcome huge deficit to beat Blazers

After Jerami Grant hit a three-pointer to put Portland up 63-40, the Warriors outscored them 83-42 the rest of the way. That's a smaller comeback, but a bigger point swing (41 points) than in the Lakers game (30 points).

How'd the Warriors do it? By breaking out a gimmicky defense on Damian Lillard.

Lillard scored 71 points Sunday night, and he started off hot Tuesday as well, scoring 15 points in the first quarter. In the second half, head coach Steve Kerr broke out a "junk" defense normally seen on the high school level: A box-and-one.

The Warriors took Lillard out of the game by focusing on him and daring the other Blazers to beat them. Donte DiVincenzo and Jonathan Kuminga both played aggressive defense, face-guarding Lillard and chasing him wherever he went to deny him the ball.

The tactic frustrated Lillard and the Blazers, and he scored only six points in the second half. Meanwhile, the Warriors started exploiting Lillard and Portland's lack of size, going inside repeatedly and shooting 24-32 on two-pointers in the second half.

It's reminiscent of how the Toronto Raptors defended Steph Curry in the 2019 NBA Finals, regularly utilizing a box-and-one against a Warriors team missing Kevin Durant. Kerr and the Warriors have added it as a regular defensive option, breaking it out against Anthony Edwards at times in their win over Minnesota Sunday.

So why didn't the Houston Rockets try it while Lillard was shredding them Sunday? It's because they're not interested in playing any defense at all, unconventional or otherwise. By defensive rating, they're the second-worst unit of all time, ahead of only this year's San Antonio Spurs.

They didn't adjust when Klay Thompson was hitting 12 three-pointers Friday, and they didn't adjust when Lillard was making 13 against them Sunday. Thankfully for the Warriors and their three-game win streak, they're very willing to adjust. Even if they might have to go down by 23 points first.