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OAKLAND, Calif. – Stephen Curry's defense strategy was an exciting topic for Portland coach Terry Stotts after the Golden State star burned down the Trail Blazers in the win of Game 1 against 116 of the Warriors.
After Curry scored 36 points on Tuesday at the top of the match, Stotts reacted sarcastically to the shock when he asked him if he was considering using traps like the Houston Rockets. did it during the previous round instead of dropping the big player in the pick and roll cover.
"I do not remember – when he was 33 in the second half, were they trapped then?" Stotts said, referring to Curry's performance in Game 6's win to close the series against the Rockets. "They were?" And he scored 33 in the second half – "Okay, yes, let's look at that."
Portland is certainly looking for solutions after Curry tied his three-point career playoff record with nine out of 15 attempts in the opening game of the Western Conference finals. According to ESPN Stats & Information, seven of Curry's three attempts were undisputed shots.
"It was a very poor defensive performance on our part," said Damian Lillard, Portland's point guard, who scored 19 points, but only 4 of 12 of the ground and made seven turnovers. "Having our big players back up to now understand the team we're playing against, they're not going to shoot mid-range jumpers and try to attack the rim." S & # 39; they see the opportunity to shoot a 3, they'll tell you, we have to get our guys off the field, and tonight they're going up solid screens and coming out of training.
"It's the last thing we need if we want to have a chance to beat this team."
Center Enes Kanter confirmed that the Blazers' game plan against Curry was for the ball defender to fight through the screens while the big man lost cover.
"In the fourth quarter, we have somehow changed it," Kanter said. "But I think that will change in the second game."
While Curry finished the second round with a flourishing touch – scoring 33 points in his sixth game in the second half, including 23 in the fourth quarter – he fought most of the series against the Rockets. Curry had a particularly poor shooting streak, hitting only 40.3% of his shots from the ground and 27.9% against three points in the Western semifinal.
Curry had no such problem Tuesday night, when he separated Portland 12 of 23 points, distributing seven assists and making a single roll.
Finding better ways to contain Curry will be one of Portland's main goals during the day before Game 2.
"All we have done tonight," said CJ McCollum, guard of the Blazers.
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