How the Warriors can outlast the Rockets without Durant
The Golden State Warriors will have two chances to defeat the Houston Rockets and advance to the Western Conference Finals after a tough Game 5 win, but they’ll have to do it without Kevin Durant.
The back-to-back Finals MVP suffered a leg injury in Game 5; originally feared to be some kind of Achilles injury, the team announced that he’s dealing with a calf strain that will sideline him for, at least, one week.
The Warriors have leaned heavily on Durant, who has been having a rather historic postseason run, and will need to find a way to replace his immense production. He averaged 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in 42 minutes of action per game against the Rockets.
Now, five games into a series against the only team to really challenge them in the Durant era, the Warriors are going to have to throw everything they’ve been doing up until this point out the window.
Steve Kerr will turn the offense back over to Stephen Curry and put the ball in the two-time MVP’s hands, just as he did during the last quarter of Game 5.
More than any other year, the 2019 Warriors have been extremely Durant-centric; his elevated play, the Splash Brothers’ shooting woes, and opposing defensive focus on Curry have all contributed to that style.
Without their leading bucket-getter, Golden State should consider attacking Houston’s defense with a heavy dose of Curry and Draymond Green high pick-and-roll action in order to get mismatches for the star guard or, if the Rockets trap, 4-on-3 situations for Green to read and react to.
The offense should start with and flow through Curry to try to get open looks for everyone, but he can’t do it alone, especially if he still can’t find his three-point shot.
Klay Thompson had 27 points on 55 percent shooting from the field with five three-pointers including a clutch trey in the final moments in Game 5 and he will need to build on that performance with another signature display of marksmanship. Thompson seemingly has a penchant for Game 6 and Golden State will hope he recaptures some of the magic he displayed a few years ago in Oklahoma City.
The Warriors will turn to their original Big Three of Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green to carry the way, but they will need Andre Iguodala to be aggressive. They’ll also need more production out of their bench; whether that’s veteran Shaun Livingston establishing his post game or Alfonzo McKinnie or Jonas Jerebko knocking down open shots.
Most importantly, they will need to match the Rockets’ energy. With their season and legacy on the line and a golden opportunity to dethrone the defending champs, Houston is going to come out with incredible intensity.
While Durant’s offensive prowess will be missed, he also provides great value on the defensive side of the ball, which Golden State will need to address.
The biggest and most important key for the Warriors without Durant will be to stay out of foul trouble, something that their stars have struggled with all postseason. Golden State doesn’t have the depth—especially defensively—for any of their Big Three, Iguodala, or Kevon Looney to pick up early and unnecessary fouls.
Every game this series has, so far, gone to the winner of the rebound battle. Missing their seven foot tall starting power forward, the Warriors are going to require even more effort on the glass, especially with PJ Tucker facing elimination. Tucker, who has been rebounding well, had 12 boards in last year’s Game 7 and, like the Warriors’ Green, he’s the type of player to increase his intensity and step up when his team needs him the most.
The Warriors cannot afford to play disengaged basketball for even a couple of minutes. If they let Houston gain momentum, they might not have the firepower—especially with their safety net out—to mount any kind of comeback. Golden State needs to counter every punch and every run with one of their own, withstanding flurries by taking care of the ball and continuing to contest every Houston shot.
With two chances to win the series, the Warriors have the talent and experience to emerge victorious on the strength of their core who won before Durant packed his bags for the Bay Area, but their margin for error is slimmer than it has been since July 4th, 2016.
Curry, who came alive after Durant’s injury, can lead them to the next round. With the ball in his hands, he can will the Warriors past the Rockets by channeling his MVP-level once again.
The Warriors should feel confident that they can win, but overhauling your entire approach this late into a series isn’t easy, especially against an opponent as strong as the Rockets.
With little depth and the absence of their scoring leader, the Warriors will now turn to the OGs of the team to show everyone that they’re still a force to be reckoned with.