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Golden State Warriors vs Orlando Magic - Full Game Highlights | Feb 25, 2016 | NBA 2015-16 Season
OAKLAND The question was whether the Golden State Warriors can become the first team to finish a regular season undefeated at home, but Draymond Green, being Draymond Green, breezed past possibility and went straight for bold certainty.
He didn"t wait to be asked for a prediction. Green is 230 pounds of kinetic energy, a force helping to reshape the pro game by occasionally playing center with great success at 6-foot-7, with a matching All-Star personality that slows for no man.
Can the Warriors go 41-0?
"I think so," he told NBA.com. "We"ve been phenomenal at home. We"ve protected our home court. I think it"s possible for us to do it."
Most home wins, single season in NBA history Team Season Wins Boston Celtics * 1985-86 40 Golden State Warriors * 2014-15 39 Cleveland Cavaliers 2008-09 39 Chicago Bulls * 1996-97 39 Chicago Bulls * 1995-96 39 Orlando Magic 1994-95 39 Boston Celtics 1986-87 39
And then, without prompting:
"I think we will."
He thinks they will go an entire regular season without losing at Oracle Arena.
"I do," Green said.
The Warriors love being in hot pursuit of history -- embracing the chase of the single-season record of 72 wins set by the 1995-96 Bulls, as Stephen Curry runs down amazing individual marks, amid the chance to tie Chicago with a 44th consecutive home victory, set over two seasons, when the Oklahoma City Thunder come to crackling Oracle Arena on Thursday (TNT, 10:30 p.m. ET). But this is going for perfection.
This is going for 41-0 when no team has done better than the 40-1 by the 1985-86 Celtics with five future Hall of Famers, losing only to the Portland Trail Blazers in December, and then going 10-0 in the playoffs at Boston Garden as part of cementing a place among the all-time great squads. Others also had one loss, but in the days before an 82-game schedule.
I think because we have 17 of the last 24 at home everybody"s looking at it like, "Ah, can they do that?" That"s a goal of ours, for sure.
--Warriors forward Draymond Green on the prospect of going 41-0 at home.
The Warriors of 2015-16 are 25-0 after escaping the Atlanta Hawks in overtime Tuesday with Curry and Andre Iguodala sitting with minor injuries. The best home start in franchise history, as part of a 54-5 mark and pace to win 75 games, has become a renewed focus with Golden State back home after a road-heavy February. The Warriors are one game into a closing schedule that features 17 of the final 24 contests at Oracle.
The interest in 41-0 will increase with the Warriors will barely leaving Northern California the next seven weeks, an aid to playoff preparations as the first round draws closer and the race continues with the San Antonio Spurs -- who are also undefeated at home (29-0) -- for No. 1 in the Western Conference. Interest in everything Golden State will be increasing, of course, but to have a chance at an undefeated Oracle slate is no longer far in the distance.
It"s in front of them all the time. And it"s possible.
"Sure," said coach Steve Kerr, a guard on the Chicago team that went 39-2 twice in a row as part of setting the record with 44 in a row. "It"s pretty hard to do. A lot of things have to go right. We"ve had a couple games this year that we probably should have lost at home. But it"s not anything we think about or talk about."
Maybe not the 44 consecutive, the mark the Warriors can tie against the Thunder. But Green said the shot at 41-0 has "absolutely" come up.
"I think because we have 17 of the last 24 at home," he said, "everybody"s looking at it like, "Ah, can they do that?" That"s a goal of ours, for sure."
Best single-season home win percentage, NBA history Team Season Record Win pct. Boston Celtics 1985-86 40-1 .976 Rochester Royals 1949-50 33-1 .971 Syracuse Nationals 1949-50 31-1 .969 Minneapolis Lakers 1949-50 30-1 .968 Washington Capitols 1946-47 29-1 .967
The Thunder, Magic, Jazz, Trail Blazers (twice), Suns, Pelicans, Knicks, Clippers, Mavericks, 76ers, Wizards, Celtics, Timberwolves, Spurs and Grizzlies stand between Golden State and regular-season home perfection. Sixteen games against 15 opponents with a combined .492 winning percentage entering Wednesday night.
"It would be crazy," guard Leandro Barbosa said. "It would be amazing. How tough it is to do that type of thing. I"ve been in the league for 13 years and this is my first time in that kind of situation. I"m very surprised (with) what we"re doing. But at the same time I"m very happy. We"re just letting go. We"re just playing the game and having fun."
The Warriors lost twice at home in the 2014-15 regular season, to the Bulls in overtime and to the Spurs, and twice more in the playoffs, to the Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals and the Cavaliers in The Finals. Golden State"s last Oracle defeat was June 7, 2015, nearly nine months ago, and the last in the regular season was to Chicago on Jan. 27, 2015.
Scott Howard-Cooper has covered the NBA since 1988. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.
Golden State Warriors vs OKC Thunder - Full Game Highlights - February 27, 2016 | 2015-16 NBA SEASON
Sometimes sports and Jeopardy! just don"t mix. Like when it comes tofacts about the SEC or thatAuburn"s mascot is the Crimson Tide. Or about the world champion Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors are the reigning NBA champs. Star guard Stephen Curry might be the most visible player in the NBA right now. The Golden State logo is seemingly all over TV and the Internet every night with graphics of how well they are chasing the 1995-96 Bulls. None of that helped the three contestants even forge a guess at the question.
Maybe if the Warriors win another championship, people will take note.
Tim Duncan, going in for a shot between the Warriors" Klay Thompson (from left), Jarrett Jack and Stephen Curry, led the Spurs with 19 points but sat out the final minutes of the game. Edward A. Ornelas / San Antonio Express-News
Tim Duncan, going in for a shot between the Warriors" Klay Thompson (from left), Jarrett Jack and Stephen Curry, led the Spurs with 19 points but sat out the final minutes of the game. Edward A. Ornelas / San
... more
San Antonio Spurs" Manu Ginobili (20) dribbles around Golden State Warriors" Harrison Barnes, center, on a screen set by Tim Duncan (21) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Manu Ginobili (20) dribbles around Golden State Warriors" Harrison Barnes, center, on a screen set by Tim Duncan (21) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in ... more Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs" Kawhi Leonard (2) goes up for a shot next to Golden State Warriors" David Lee (10) and Andre Iguodala during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Kawhi Leonard (2) goes up for a shot next to Golden State Warriors" David Lee (10) and Andre Iguodala during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. ... more Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs" Marco Belinelli (3) passes the ball over Golden State Warriors" Draymond Green (23), and Andre Iguodala during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Marco Belinelli (3) passes the ball over Golden State Warriors" Draymond Green (23), and Andre Iguodala during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, ... more Photo: Associated Press
Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson goes in for a dunk past San Antonio Spurs" Danny Green (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson goes in for a dunk past San Antonio Spurs" Danny Green (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose ... more Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker (9) dribbles past Golden State Warriors" Draymond Green, center, and Klay Thompson during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker (9) dribbles past Golden State Warriors" Draymond Green, center, and Klay Thompson during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP ... more Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker (9) scores past Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker (9) scores past Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs" Tim Duncan dribbles between Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut, left, and Harrison Barnes (40) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Tim Duncan dribbles between Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut, left, and Harrison Barnes (40) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP ... more Photo: Associated Press
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr argues a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr argues a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Photo: Associated Press
San Antonio Spurs" Tim Duncan, right, drives Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Tim Duncan, right, drives Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Photo: AP
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker, right, looks to shoot against Golden State Warriors" Shaun Livingston during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker, right, looks to shoot against Golden State Warriors" Shaun Livingston during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio ... more Photo: AP
San Antonio Spurs" Danny Green (14) shoots over Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Danny Green (14) shoots over Golden State Warriors" Klay Thompson during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Photo: AP
Golden State Warriors" Stephen Curry (30) slaps hands with Andrew Bogut after Curry scored against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Golden State Warriors" Stephen Curry (30) slaps hands with Andrew Bogut after Curry scored against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, ... more Photo: AP
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker dribbles past Golden State Warriors" Stephen Curry during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker dribbles past Golden State Warriors" Stephen Curry during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Photo: AP
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, left, jokes with Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr before an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, left, jokes with Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr before an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Photo: AP
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker (9) dribbles past Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Tony Parker (9) dribbles past Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose ... more Photo: AP
San Antonio Spurs" Tim Duncan shoots over Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Antonio Spurs" Tim Duncan shoots over Golden State Warriors" Andrew Bogut during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Charlotte Hornets vs Golden State Warriors - Full Game Highlights | Jan 4, 2016 | NBA 2015-16 Season
DENVER -- Stephen Curry let out long sighs after a game the Warriors felt they should have won even without Draymond Green.
Curry had scored 38 points, 20 of which came in a fourth-quarter comeback attempt that ultimately failed in a 112-110 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
The Nuggets prevailed despite Curry catching fire late and Klay Thompson getting a potential game-winning 3-point attempt that fell short before the final buzzer.
"We showed a lot of fight and aggressiveness down the stretch," Curry said. "We just spotted them too many points."
Green sat out the game in order to rest an ankle that has given him discomfort for more than two weeks, and his absence undoubtedly had something to do with the Warriors" woes on defense.
Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, left, drives past Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (David Zalubowski)
Out-rebounded and unable to get stops in crunchtime, the Warriors fell to 36-3 and suffered a rare setback that snapped their seven-game winning streak.
Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets with 28 points, going 17 for 19 from the free throw line on a night when the Warriors totaled 20 free throws.
"I"m sure he would have loved to get some cracks at Gallinari," Curry said of Green.
Curry hit a 33-foot 3-pointer with under a minute left to pull the Warriors to within two points.
Later with a chance to tie the score or give the Warriors the lead, Curry mishandled the ball for his eighth turnover. Gallinari stole it, leading to two Gary Harris free throws to give Denver a 111-107 lead with 5.4 seconds left.
Still, the Warriors would not die then and there. Thompson hit a 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left, and Gallinari missed one of two free throws on the other end to give the Warriors one final chance.
But with only 1.8 seconds to work with and the Warriors forced to go away from Curry as their first option, Thompson"s shot went off the front of the rim.
"A wake-up call a little bit," Thompson, who finished with 17 points, said of the loss.
"It does not feel good."
Harrison Barnes added 18 points off the bench in his most productive performance since coming back from a sprained ankle.
But the Warriors would have liked a better start, as the Nuggets led for most of the game. Denver had 10-point leads in the first and headed into the fourth. Curry struggled with his shooting before heating up in the fourth. The Warriors started Jason Thompson in place of Green, whose fire and versatility on defense were missed dearly.
"We"ve got to play at that same intensity for 48 minutes like we did in the last four to five minutes. If we do that, we"re the hardest team to beat in this league," Klay Thompson said.
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 13: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors lays up a shot against Kenneth Faried #35 of the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 13, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) (Doug Pensinger)
Said Warriors interim coach Luke Walton: "For a championship team and for what we are trying to accomplish, we didn"t play hard enough and we definitely didn"t play smart enough for the majority of the game."
The Warriors could be missing Green once again on Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers. He conceded that he needed the rest against the Nuggets.
"I wanted to fight it, but my body wouldn"t let me," Green said.
"I"m pretty beat up right now."
Green had been the only Warriors starter to play every game, and he leads the team averaging 34.9 minutes per game -- a number that increased while Barnes was out of action.
"With a big road trip coming up and a tough stretch here at the end of the month, we just figure it"s better to give him a little bit of rest and try to keep him healthy," Walton said.
"It"s something where he could play, but with the amount of minutes he"s been playing and -- I won"t call them injuries -- some nagging pain, it"s just better we feel like to give him the night off here."
The Warriors did get Leandro Barbosa back in action after he missed nine games with a sprained shoulder.
For more on the Warriors, see the Inside the Warriors blog at www.ibabuzz.com/warriors. Follow Diamond Leung on Twitter at twitter.com/diamond83.
Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets | Full Game Highlights | 2015-16 NBA REGULAR SEASON (60fps)
For now, Saturday night doesn"t leave a huge void in the Golden State Warriors" season. Stephen Curry left the game after re-injuring his sore shin when it got knocked when trying to navigate some screens and stay in front of Jameer Nelson against the Denver Nuggets. Curry was subbed out at the 2:16 mark of the second quarter when he was noticeably limping, and never returned.
The result of the injury was a fascinating look into what may lie ahead for the Warriors in their pursuit of the best record in NBA history, the 72-10 Chicago Bulls. The Warriors want this record and they"ve been pretty adamant about finding the requisite motivation in order to be up for all of these games in a way that does harken back to the insane competitive nature of Michael Jordan. But when you take away that team"s M.J., does such a feat become impossible to attain or even approach?
Golden State is currently 31-2, which is still the best start in NBA history. They"re still one game ahead of that Bulls team, which was 30-3 after 33 games. To keep up with this pace, the Warriors can"t miss Curry for too many games. Per Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated, the Warriors are now 74-9 in their previous 83 regular-season games in which Curry plays. They need Curry to play if they want to be historical.
Luckily for them, this is a bit of a light week until Friday. They have Sunday off before facing the Charlotte Hornets on Monday at home and the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday in Los Angeles. Then they have Wednesday and Thursday off before a back-to-back with Portland and Sacramento. That"s a relatively light schedule until Friday to allow the injury to heal up. Can they get by if Curry misses just one of those games against Charlotte or Los Angeles? What if he misses both?
Draymond Green has stepped up in Curry"s absence after a poor showing against Dallas (11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, 4-of-15 shooting). He rebounded against Houston for a 10-point, 11-rebound, 16-assist performance the next night before following that up Saturday night against Denver with 29 points, 17 rebounds, 14 assists, and four steals. While it"s not easy for Green to put up these crazy numbers, even though it"s his sixth triple-double of the season and second back-to-back triple-double of the season, Green instantly becomes the Warriors" leader on the court when Curry is out.
The problem though is how much focus can they retain and foster when Curry is out? They nearly blew a 26-point lead at home against a Denver team that isn"t very good, escaping with an overtime victory. The team has been without Harrison Barnes since November 27 due to an ankle sprain. Leandro Barbosa has missed four straight games with a sprained shoulder. Festus Ezeli has a foot injury.
People don"t want to see players get injured, but this is the test the Warriors are facing now, which they avoided last season when they were healthy. That"s when they won 67 games and marched to a title. That"s when the question of whether or not they were lucky crept up and fueled them to this blistering start to the season. And this is what befalls so many seemingly great teams looking to challenge what the Bulls did in 1995-96.
The grind of the season comes with bumps in the road. Jordan was able to play all 82 games for the Bulls that season, but Scottie Pippen missed five games, Dennis Rodman missed 18 games, and Luc Longley missed 20. Enduring injuries is one thing, but enduring injuries while challenging history seems almost futile.
Curry could be back next game and not miss another contest this season. Or this shin injury might take some time to fully heal, and cause an absence far more times than the Warriors are hoping to see. It"s not the end of the world. If things fall apart in this pursuit of the all-time, they can still end up with the best record in basketball and march to a second title. You just don"t get to see history challenged all that often and this Warriors team seemed to have the right kind of motivated to keep challenging.
How many games will the Warriors miss Steph Curry? (USATSI)
Is Klay Thompson doing a bad job guarding James Harden?
Whats clear is that he has done an ineffective job so far, which isnt necessarily the same as doing a bad one. Were looking at a two-game sample size, where offense can triumph over good defense in a way that might not sustain in the long haul. Still, this is staggering production from Harden: 33 points on 20.5 shots, with 10.5 rebounds and 9 assists.
Before getting to the Thompson-on-Harden aspect, I want to address all those assists the Beard has reaped. His passing has been a testament to perceptiveness and adaptability. The Warriors are forcing him to pass differently than he usually does, and hes thriving despite it.
Hardens tendency in pick-and-roll situations is to kick it out to shooters. This season, 257 of his passes led directly to 3-point makes. The Warriors have countered this tendency by refusing to drift off the 3-point line. Last series, Jamal Crawford undermined the Clippers' efforts to quell the Rockets 3-point barrage by massively helping off the weak side, leaving guys open in the corner. Golden States players have been extreme in the other direction. When Harden drives, Warriors guards arent crashing down to stop his path, instead daring him to make plays in the paint.
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Harden has responded with absolutely brilliant interior passing. His last assist was probably his best: A sailing lob to Dwight Howard that eluded Andrew Boguts grasp like a soccer goal that chips the keeper. In these two games, only one of Hardens passes has resulted in a 3-point make. Those other 17 assists have all been for 2s, many of them close to the hoop. If you told me Houston hits 15 total 3s in the opening two road games, Id assume disaster. Theyve actually done quite well offensively.
There is another component to the Rockets success on offense, and its related to the Thompson-Harden faceoff: Hardens killing it from midrange, as Zach Lowe noted on Grantland. Not only has Harden shot 60 percent on long 2s (he shot 35 percent on such attempts this season), but hes doing it in a roundabout way: Hardens dribbling the leather off the ball.
Just as long 2s are inefficient shots that Harden has made efficient in this series, so, too, are shots taken after many dribbles. For the vast majority of players (i.e., everyone but Stephen Curry), dribbling a lot before your windup usually means shooting off-balance, contested, with tired legs. Its just bad for marksmanship. Theres a reason William Tell didnt jog around and do a massive backward leap before letting the arrow fly.
In this series, Hardens doing the equivalent of splitting the apple while doing backflips. Its a stark contrast from the season, where, according to NBA.com player tracking, Harden managed an effective field goal mark of 46.6 percent on shots taken after seven or more dribbles. In this series, hes at a 72.2 percent eFG on such shots. Also, these shots account for 44 percent of Hardens attempts. Overall, the Warriors are getting the holy grail of shots you want Harden taking: long 2s after many, many dribbles. And overall, Harden is absolutely torching them on such shots. He already has made one midrange jumper more than he did in the entire seven-game Clippers series.
After Game 2, Thompson said: "I don't let made or missed shots dictate how I play defense as long as I'm in his body and making him take tough shots." There might be something to that. After going through the video, I would say that Thompson isnt doing a bad job, but he is doing a flawed job. Thompson is doing Thompson things, doggedly fighting around screens and chasing Harden with full effort. The issue is that effort can be its own trap against a languid performer like the Beard (See: Thompson fouling Harden on the first possession of Game 2).
Theres a jiu-jitsu to Harden. Defenders are trained to leverage their strengths, and Harden uses that against his opponents. He interprets size and length as merely a bigger strike zone for drawing contact. Aggressive defense gets faked into aggressively pursuing nothing or into fouling its focus.
This is why J.J. Redick did such a counterintuitively good job on Harden last series. Redick isnt long and isnt experienced in pressuring the ball. So, he positioned himself in front of his mark, gave Harden some room and stayed keyed on where his torso moved. When Harden attempted to draw contact, Redick whipped his hands up and away, like he was playing b****y knuckles.
In contrast, Thompson tries to stay glued to Hardens jersey, leaving him vulnerable to fakes and push-offs. Defensively, less might be more for Thompson (note: Id imagine that its much easier to dispense advice on guarding Harden than it is to actually do it).
Can Thompson do better? Sure, but Im not exactly sold on Harden maintaining this shooting stretch. I also think its worth it for Golden State to continue to defend this way, generally. Take out Houstons shooters and force Harden to be a one-man offense. Ive seen suggestions to double-team Harden, which I believe to be a generally bad move. You dont want to create 4-on-3 situations when the other team has Howard, ready to flush the lobs that result.
If there is an adjustment to make, its probably letting one of Golden States many other wings try their luck as the primary defender (Andre Iguodala is the best candidate). I dont think thats necessary -- yet. Thompson has gotten torched by Harden and Thompson has made mistakes guarding Harden. He also has not allowed Harden an easy path to this fantastic run. If the Beard keeps draining midrange shots after dribbling the clock out, Golden State has to live with the results. That much is true regardless of the job Thompson's doing.
