The Dubs dialed up the defense in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
In the third quarter, Steph Curry put up a ridiculous plus-21 in the third quarter alone, as he played all 12 minutes in the period where the Warriors outscored the Celtics 35-14. Curry got in a rhythm during the quarter with a couple of impressive 3-pointers, including one from the Chase Center logo near the scorer’s table. But it was his defense that had the Warriors talking after the game.
On Wednesday morning, ahead of Game 3 in Boston, Assistant coach Ron Adams joined 95.7 The Game’s “The Morning Roast” to discuss the Warriors’ defense and Steph’s development on that side of the ball.
“We played some great defense in that third quarter and throughout that game,” Adams told hosts Bonta Hill and Joe Shasky. “We’re getting really good efforts, certainly throughout the starting five. Steph’s been so good defensively this playoffs and during this season, which makes a big difference in our defensive structure. We’ve been getting great defensive performances from guys off the bench, too.”
The Celtics were held to just 4-of-17 shooting in the third quarter, en route to a 37.5 percent shooting night and playoff-low 88 points. During the third-quarter Curry stuck his nose into the defense on multiple occasions and stifled possessions single-handedly. After the game, Golden State defensive stopper Gary Payton II called Curry a “two-way player.”
Adams has been a key part of Steve Kerr’s staff since he took over in 2014 and is regarded as a defensive guru. Perhaps no one has more insight into Curry’s defensive development than Adams.
“He’s been playing great defense,” Adams said. “He’s a defensive asset. We kinda laughed the other day when someone called him a two-way player, but that’s who he is right now. His transformation has been steady. He’s always been real solid defensively in the playoffs. On any given year, he’s had good stretches of playing defense. But I think now, he’s really stepped it up this season. He’s older, he’s wiser, he really focuses defensively. He’s gotten stronger and I think his conditioning – the work he’s put in the past couple years has been really outstanding. I think he feels good about his overall strength, it allows him to do some things defensively as well as offensively. I think all of these things coupled together has really accelerated his defensive game.”
Speaking of defense, check out Adams stopping Steph during Tuesday’s practice at TD Garden.
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