Pistons Host Warriors
By J.M. Poulard
Essentials
- Teams: Golden State Warriors (13-2) at Detroit Pistons (3-13)
- Date: November 30
- Time: 3:30 p.m.
- Television: FSD+
Get in the Game
The Detroit Pistons will face an incredibly tough task today – note the early start – when they host the Golden State Warriors.
The Dubs will play the final contest of their five-game Eastern Conference road trip in Detroit, and that could give the Pistons the slight edge they need to make this contest with Golden State competitive.
After this much time on the road, the Warriors are bound to see the finish line in sight and just marvel at it as opposed to working to get toward it. What’s more, their opponent likely won’t garner much attention from the Dubs, given how porous the Pistons have been so far this season.
Factor in the early start – the 3:30 p.m. tip off time is a 12:30 p.m. start for a West team – for the contest today, and the Pistons might just be on equal footing in this one.
These are all of the things working in Detroit’s favor. On the flipside, there are numerous factors going against head coach Stan Van Gundy.
Through 15 games or so, Golden State is probably the most balanced team in the league. They own the no. 1 spot in defensive rankings and boast a top-seven offense coming into the game against the Pistons.
Although it’s tempting to attribute much of the defensive success to Andrew Bogut’s ability to anchor the interior, the Warriors have morphed into a much more complete unit.
Klay Thompson is still the team’s best perimeter defender, and he has help this time around in the backcourt. Stephen Curry, perhaps the best off-the-dribble shooter in league history, has finally graduated to the point where his defense is no longer a weakness. He is demonstrating far more resistance and playing with better focus in this facet, which has made the Warriors a monster.
Don’t just take my word for it, though:
Isiah Thomas told Sirius XM Stephen Curry is NBA's best point guard. "He's also trying to dominate you on the defensive side of the ball."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) November 28, 2014
Curry’s growth coupled with Draymond Green’s versatility makes it tough to get baskets against the Dubs, a factor that only further complicates the opposition’s game plan because the Warriors are a heck of an offensive unit.
It all starts with Curry’s playmaking and scorching shooting. Keep in mind, Steph has also evolved as a scorer. He’s no longer just happy floating around the perimeter waiting to deflate opponents with bombs. Curry is now comfortable attacking the basket with either hand for scores or dishes resulting in points.
The list of best players in the league at the moment goes like this (in no specific order): LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul and Curry. Honorable mentions go out to Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant who will be in the conversation by season’s end once they’ve played enough to actually qualify again.
Curry’s transformed himself into a more complete player, which in turn has changed the outlook of his team.
Golden State is utilizing the changes in Curry’s game to move the ball around a lot more in comparison to previous seasons. The Dubs run more handoffs and pick-and-rolls in conjunction with curl screens and spot-up plays.
Bogut is now a facilitator from the high post because of his solid passing and screening.
Thompson, one of the league’s top marksman, is averaging a career-high 4.9 free throws per 36 minutes. That’s a clear sign that he’s taking the ball to the basket far more frequently, and it reinforces his standing as one of the league’s best two-way players.
Keep in mind, Golden State’s firepower hardly stops there. Kerr has Andre Iguodala coming off the bench to provide playmaking and finishing. Furthermore, reserve big man Marreese Speights is proving he’s a valuable commodity in the Bay.
The Warriors are using him in the pick-and-pop with Curry, and it’s prompted defenses to focus on Steph – the smart move – only to watch Speights light it up from mid-range.
Do what you want with this info: Marreese Speights is averaging 29.2 points per 36 minutes on 60.3% shooting (FYI @warriorsworld ).
— J.M. Poulard (@ShyneIV) November 30, 2014
As one can tell, the Pistons will be in for a battle against a Warriors team that has not yet lost during their Eastern Conference road trip. Detroit will have to pull out their best game of the season both offensively and defensively to have a chance to stay within striking distance.
If the Pistons can manage that, they will get a chance to close out the contest late. Still, I’d be worried about Curry’s flammable nature in this setting.
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