Los Angeles Lakers have been the best defense in the NBA in regular season in the collective plane. Despite all the accumulated problems, the solidity behind Frank Vogel’s team has been one of his hallmarks both this season and the previous championship. In 2020-2021, they have allowed 107.1 points per 100 possessions, the best record of the competition.
In the spectacular train crash in the play-in tournament against the Golden State Warriors (this morning at 4am in Spain), it happens that the best defense is measured at best attacker of the season, a Stephen Curry that casts fire through the hands.
“We know who the head of the snake is, it’s Steph.
We have to do what we do best to contain him. “explained Anthony Davis at the pre-match press conference. “It will be a collective effort, not only from abroad but from all of us. We are going to keep an eye on it and be attentive all the time ”.
Curry has averaged 32 points per game this season, a figure that has allowed him to win his second NBA leading scorer title. “Obviously I have a lot of relationship with Steph,” he acknowledged Zaza pachulia, a former Warriors player and currently a consultant for the Bahia franchise, in a conversation with the NBA Fan Club. “Whenever I think it has peaked, it surprises me with new performances and what he’s doing this season is spectacular once again ”.
The praise even falls short, and the majority of the Lakers roster has singled out Curry as their top MVP candidate this season. “We anticipate that they will even use the kitchen sink to defend him”Steve Kerr explained at a press conference.
LA has somewhat better contained Curry than other opponents during the regular season. The Angelenos have won two of their three meetings against Golden State and the point guard has averaged 23 points and 42% correct in shots from the field (34.6% of three) in his direct confrontations against LeBron James and company. He only scored three triples on average in those games, but Frank Vogel has indicated that now the point guard is “Much more aggressive”.
Warriors enter the game for seventh place after winning 15 of their last 20 games of the regular season, an opposite trajectory to some Lakers who have been diminished by the injuries. LeBron made it clear that he is “up to the challenge” despite his ankle and other key pieces like Dennis Schroder They have said they will give it their all no matter what.
The game has the air of a seventh game of playoff elimination, and this was recognized by Davis himself: “It’s a great game, we see it as a seventh game. We only play one game against them and we want to win yes or yes ”.