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The intense match of Sunday 7 was an old adage: the NBA is a makeshift league.
As the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers prepare for the Western Conference Finals (Tuesday at 9 pm Paris time on ESPN), the importance of these brands and failures will only 'intensify.
How will the Warriors go to score in the matches before Kevin Durant returns from his calf injury? And what are the keys to the Portland attack? Let's look at the most important shots for the three most important players in each team, starting with the two-star backcourts.
Curry's left wing 3
Stephen Curry is the best shooter on the planet, but even the biggest shooters are more dangerous in some places than others. Steph thrives on the left side of the bow. Not only is he very active there, but he is also more efficient.
It is never a good idea to watch it closely, but it is particularly inadvisable to let it heat up here:
No NBA player scored more than Curry on the left wing this year (and no one touched more in the left corner either).
When Steph gets up from the left wing, the Warriors score an average of 1.28 points per shot, which is even better than the 1.15 points they've won this season.
And these are rarely easy looks. Given the location of the shot, type and distance of the defender, the average NBA shooter would convert those attempts into an effective percentage of the field goal (eFG) of 49.3, according to Second Spectrum tracking data. Curry goes over that with an eFG of 63.4.
0:28
Andre Iguodala prepares the dishes to Steph Curry who hits the 3 pointer open.
The right wing of Thompson 3
One of the reasons the Splash brothers are terrifying is that they are growing in different places. While Curry kills him on the left side of the bow, Klay Thompson is more active and more efficient on the other side.
Thompson led the NBA in the 3 scored of the right wing this year:
Thompson is also leading the NBA in 3 assists moving from this zone – a strike that should only convert to 51.1 eFG. But Klay? His eFG on these looks is 71.9, per second.
To contextualize how prolific these guys are, check this out:
They covered the bow.
0:30
Klay Thompson hits a 3-pointer and Steph Curry applauds the bench as Oracle bursts.
The attacks of Iguodala at the edge
As good as they are, the Splash brothers are often helped by their friends.
In the big win of match 6 in Houston, it's Andre Iguodala who gave the big boost, scoring five 3's in eight attempts. But it was an anomaly: 34% of his shots came from the restricted area.
Even though he's 35, the dude can still finish at the elite rate. The Warriors love Iggy by hitting 3, but watch him at the edge of the series.
0:21
Andre Iguodala misses James Harden and throws a jam to one hand.
Lillard dribbles
OKC has learned the hard way that Damian Lillard's range is exceptionally deep. This season, he shot 252 shots over 27 feet, followed by Trae Young, Eric Gordon and Brook Lopez, every second.
His epic drummer to finish the Thunder was also a triple trio, which became the centerpiece of Lillard. Lillard tries more than five per game, beating only James Harden and Kemba Walker. But Lady hits them at higher rates than those, recording a drop of 36.5%, according to Second Spectrum.
Lillard may not be as great as downtown Curry … but who is it?
He is still capable of that:
When Blazers need a bucket of this series, they know a reliable place to look.
0:20
Damian Lillard shows his range with immediately a 3-pointer of depth.
McCollum mid-range riders
On the NBA's top mid-range scorer list, you'll see names like Durant, Kawhi Leonard and CJ McCollum, whose formidable mid-range talents were showcased in the big win of Game 7 on Sunday against the Nuggets. These guys are so good at mediums, they defy conventional wisdom suggesting that midrangers are stupid shots.
McCollum can score from anywhere. McCollum scored just 37 points in Sunday's seventh match with a 3-point range. He was unstoppable in painting, and the medium is the defining element of his play.
Of the players who have attempted more than 150 mid-range pull-ups this season, McCollum is ranked third in eFG (behind Durant and JJ Redick). Its 51.8-point eFG is 14.3 points better than expected for the average shooter based on shot quality, per second of spectrum tracking. And that means it's a very good attempt:
0:27
CJ McCollum overturns a jumper who gives him 37 points and gives the Blazers a three-point lead.
It will have to continue for Portland to have a hope in this series.
Kanter rebates
Enes Kanter became Portland's third scorer in those series, with 12.9 points per game. But unlike Lillard and McCollum, Kanter can not shoot.
Despite everything, he is productive at the edge of the ball thanks to his fluid footwork and his domination over the attacking glass. Kanter has collected close to four offensive boards per game in the playoffs and 38% of his points are second chances.
Golden State must find ways to keep Kanter off the offensive boards.
0:17
Damian Lillard leads and misses, but Enes Kanter rises above Lillard for safety.
It's easier said than done, especially if the Warriors choose to become small.
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