This hasn’t been the start to the series which the Golden State Warriors have wanted. Despite the noise around how questionable the whistle’s been overall and the ordeal which led to Draymond Green’s suspension, one thing is for certain: The Dubs could have walked away with a win in Games 1 or 2 if they didn’t make the same mistakes they’ve been making all season.

The playoffs are a different ballgame, and nobody should know that better than head coach Steve Kerr. With Kings Coach of the Year Mike Brown finding the holes in his offense, Kerr will have to get creative with how he changes his tactics to give Brown less time to prepare. The gamesmanship’s already begun with three Warriors players listed as questionable tonight despite them seeing no issues in Game 2 which would keep them off the court.

The series doesn’t start until one team wins a road game, and the Dubs will need to defend Chase Center if they want a shot at coming back. The number one issue Golden State needs to clean up is far and away their undisciplined turnovers, but here are three lineup and Xs=and-Os adjustments which they can implement for greater success despite the lost of their perennial defensive anchor.

1) Stop Giving De’aaron Fox His Spots
The NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year had an off-Game 2… Until the 4th quarter where he finally found his rhythm and iced the game in Sacramento’s favor. The Warriors allowed for him to get into his groove in Game 1 as well, constantly letting him get to his short mid-range where he’s been very efficient the whole season: They need to bottle him up late. Kerr has had Kevon Looney in a deep drop coverage almost the whole series even when Sabonis isn’t Fox’s pick-and-roll screener, and if he’s going to continue doing that, the point-of-attack defender needs to entertain going under the screen. Fox is only shooting 32% from three this season and isn’t notoriously keen on taking difficult shots from the arc, so instead of giving him rhythm hits, make him beat the defense which a shot he’s much less comfortable with before he gets the hot hand. Andrew Wiggins is probably the best matchup here as Game 2 showed, so his minutes should match Fox’s as much as possible. It will also be important to stop Malik Monk with Gary Payton II, averaging over 25 a game in the series so far, so that the onus is on Fox and Fox alone.

2) Use More Two-Man Actions To Target Domantas Sabonis
The Warriors have arguably the best pick-and-roll runner in the NBA not named James Harden. Despite all his off-ball success, Stephen Curry is still an elite straight-up point guard. His playmaking versatility has become an underrated aspect about his game, and the Kings happen to have a guy in the middle who they can hunt. Sabonis has been an awful defender the whole season, a major contributing factor to Sacramento’s low finish in defensive rating this season. Mike Brown’s been playing him in drop coverage because he’s too slow and he gets beat to the hoop when he’s trying to stop a guard on the perimeter. The Warriors should take more advantage of the hole in the middle like they have historically, such as just last year in the NBA Finals with Al Horford or their myriad of past playoff games against the Trailblazers and Jazz, and use his defensive inability to get open shots or attack the rim and force the officials to make foul calls by driving with physicality. Get Sabonis in foul trouble and the game should come much easier defensively as well.

3) Play Stephen Curry On-Ball
This seems like the most sensible answer on any given day to get the offense warmed up. Curry’s reputation as an off-ball player has made him an excellent decoy for teams to chase around, causing chaos amongst their help defense as they try to navigate the forest of screens the Warriors put them through… But sometimes, your best player just has to have the operational freedom to cook. With Donte DiVincenzo and Jordan Poole having rough starts to the series, and Dubs being so poor without him on the floor, Curry’s impact during his minutes will be key to success. As good as he is off-ball, it’s no secret he’s even better with the rock in his hands. The Celtics, one of the best-rated defenses of all time, were given an impossible choice when defending Steph as a true point guard in the Finals: Leave him one-on-one and let him get his, or force him to give the ball up and make everyone else beat them. If the Kings choose the former, Curry will just let it fly and put the most demoralizing 40-point flurry they’ve ever seen. And the latter, they’ll give the Warriors open shot after open shot.

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