Sunday, August 6, 2017

Profile Player: How to defend Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry is one of the most exciting player to watch in the league right now, and probably the most difficult guys to guard.   If you play, or imagine playing against him one on one you probably ask yourself how am I going to guard him?  How about if you play against the Golden State Warriors, and you ask yourself the question how am I going not just only contain Stephen Curry but how am I going to contain the rest of his teammates?

With this article I am going to tell you how to planning to defend him base on individual, and team wise.  First, and foremost let me explain what I mean by defend him base on individual also base on defending by team wise what I mean by that is by individually how do you both prepare, and how do you want to defend him focusing defending him alone which could help planning to defend him one on one.   When I say how to defend him base on team wise is how do you prepare, and planning to defend him with the talent surrounding him because defending him one on one is one thing but defend him, and his teammates is another.  Preparation is different in terms of defending focusing only defending Stephen Curry, or defending Stephen Curry, and his teammates.

Now, it isn't to defend him individually, nor team wise when you also have to worry about his teammates as well.   But he is guard able but it won't be easy to stop him but you hope you able to contain him so let me give you some tips, advice, or suggestion on how to defend him base on individual, and base on team first let me start with base on individual.

Base On Individual

If you are a coach, or a player, and you are wondering how to planning, or how to defend Stephen Curry.  The first thing you want to do is find out what is his strength, and his weakness which something that coaches, and players should look on the film basically scouted him what he can do and can't do on the basketball court.   So let's start what is his strength and weakness is.

Strength:

  • Ball Handling he is one of the best ball handling skills in the league right now
  • He can create his own shot off the dribble
  • Solid play maker 
  • He have a good first quick step and have quickness.
  • Great shooter
Weakness:
  • Not a good overall defender
  • Not as explosive and athletic in the NBA.
  • While he is a solid play maker but he isn't a natural pure point guard.
  • Doesn't like when defenders gets physical with him.
  • At times his shot selection can be questionable when he rely too much outside shot.
Now, you know both of his strength, and weakness the aspect of his game.   Since I am focusing only base on individual which I am only focusing on how to prepare, planning, and or how to defend Stephen Curry.  While this is sound like basically focusing on the defensively part of the game of basketball in terms how to defend him but also you can makes plans when you are on offense on whoever Stephen Curry is guarding.  For example you know he isn't a good defender so basically you want Stephen Curry to use all his energy trying to guard whoever he is guarding against make him work when he is on defense.  

On the defensive part since I am only focusing only on individual I am only going to give tips, advice, suggestion, or whatever you like to call it on how do you prepare, and defend only Stephen Curry which more like focusing only him alone, and not base on the team yet.   Sound like a one on one situation isn't it?  Anyways, how do you planning, preparing, and how to defend him is the question you want to know?  As a player if you are guarding Stephen Curry you want to get physical with him at all times, and you don't want to give him enough space got to respect him as a shooter contest his shot at all times again one of his strength aspect of his game that he is a great outside shooter.   You don't want to give him enough air space if you give him some space there is a chance he will take a shot when given to him but also you have to watch out, and prepare for him he may use his quickness which he is a very quick guard so you got to move your feet quick as well stay on him.

As I mentioned earlier it isn't easy to defend him alone, and it isn't much easy when not only you have to worry about Stephen Curry but you also have to worry about his teammates as well which now I am going to discuss, and give tips, advice, and suggestions on how to defend Stephen Curry base on team wise now.

Base On Team

I have talked about on how to defend Stephen Curry, and give pointers on how to defend Stephen Curry base on individual wise.  Now, I am going to talked about, and give pointers on how to defend Stephen Curry base on team wise which is lot different than talk about individual wise you see not only you have to worry about defending Stephen Curry you got to focus on his teammates as well.  His team is load of talent the question how do you going to defend Stephen Curry when you play against the Golden State Warriors the better question is how you going to stop, or contain the team as a whole? 

Well, this article is basically only about Stephen Curry but you have to worry about how to defend him with his teammates surrounded him you got players like Klay Thompson who is a solid defender, and a great outside shooter.   You also got Draymond Green while not a great shooter but he is you got to respect his shot, and of course don't forget about Kevin Durant which he is pretty much impossible to guard.   Now you probably asking how to defend Stephen Curry when you played against the Golden State Warriors?   You can double team, and trapped Stephen Curry to force the ball out of his hands but the issue is he got other weapons on the court with Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green plus don't forget they just sign Nick Young who is incapable of a scorer/shooter.  The Warriors could go small and go with the line up of Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, Nick Young, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry so keep that in mind.

While I was saying you can double team, or trap Stephen Curry forces the ball out of his hand but one of the guys I mentioned above will be open, and all those guys are capable of knocking down open jumper.  If your team don't have much athleticism, or don't have no athleticism then your team will struggle to rotate quickly, recover, and can't defend all five positions from rotating which is something your team needs especially if you played against the team of the Golden State Warriors.  I recommended to have the personal that can defend all five positions, and are atheltic enough to switch, rotate, and recover quickly in that case against the Golden State Warriors if you need to switch then you do it.  I do think double teaming, or trapping Stephen Curry is a good idea only if guys like Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant are both on the bench which you may live with Draymond Green on the floor, or not.

You still want to play physical against Stephen Curry, and the rest of the teammates.  As I mentioned above when I was talking about base on individual wise you don't want to give him open looks, and not enough space so he can shoot the ball you want to not give him enough air tight space if there is a screen, and can't beat it then switch immediately stay on him respect his shot but at the same time respect his quickness.  On offense you want him to spend his energy on the defensive side he is not a good defender so if Stephen Curry is guarding this particular player then you draw a play move without the ball, and use the screens on him so this player can get open look while at the same time make Stephen Curry work on the defensive end.   It can use his energy, and possible potentially can get Stephen Curry into early foul trouble but if the guy that Stephen Curry is liability on offense meaning not a good offensive player then you might have to either take him out of the game, or draw some sort of play to make Stephen Curry switch to force him guard a better offensive player. 

Also you have to watch out which is possible they may draw a play for Stephen Curry which can be useful without the ball they can use the screens on a defender for Stephen Curry to get open looks which happens for the last few years including last season.   If that happen need to prepare for a switch if that defender can't fight through screens, and stay on Stephen Curry contest his open shot, rest him as a shooter but at the same time as I mentioned as well respect his quickness too.  Don't forget be physical against him too. 

Conclusion

Well, that is it I have discussed, and even give pointers on how to defend Stephen Curry base on individual, and base on team.   He is probably one of the most exciting player to watch but also difficult to defend don't think he is unguarded  he is just hard to defend rather you guard him one on one, or guard him, and worry about the rest of his teammates as well rather you are a coach, or a player.  If I was the coach I tell my players to play physical against Stephen Curry, and the rest of his teammates all game long at all times that will be my emphasis.   

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