Can Golden State defend the Irving-James pick and roll?
There are two versions to one of the NBA’s deadliest plays, so let’s address them separately. The first is more standard, where James screens for Irving.
Assuming the Warriors stick Klay Thompson on Irving — a relatively safe assumption — they’ll likely just switch, the best of a host of bad options. Go under and Irving will nail an open three. Go over and the Warriors either have to cede the open midranger he loves or risk Irving threading a pass to a rolling James if Iguodala contains.
Irving is a good enough passer to beat a trap or hedge. Switching leaves Thompson on James, but the Warriors will deal with an ensuing isolation if they have to. Thompson has done an acceptable job in those situations before.
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Cleveland may run the inverted version more in the Finals however — Irving screening for James. Doing so would allow them to try and get Curry on Irving before the play with “screen the screener” action, where J.R. Smith screens for Irving off-ball before Irving comes up to set the screen for James, leaving Thompson a few steps behind or potentially prompting that coveted switch.
If the Cavs don’t bother with that window dressing, switching may still be the best course of action for Golden State. It prompts the same matchups as switching the regular matchup, and the Warriors can survive that. It also does a better job of preventing help than any other option.
Irving and James are both great passers and will pick apart a defense that has to rotate. However, don’t be surprised if Iguodala tries ducking under the screen if James is the ball-handler. LeBron has been reigning fire from deep this postseason but historically isn’t much of a shooter. The Warriors could give him open threes until he proves he can make them.
Things get more complicated if they force Curry to guard Irving with “screen the screener,” or by staggering screens when Irving is the ball-handler. The Warriors wouldn’t dream of willingly switching Curry onto James, which means they almost have to send help.
Depending on who the Cavs have on the floor, some versions of this are dicier than others — leaving Richard Jefferson open is much easier than leaving Channing Frye or Kevin Love — but James is such a good passer that you can count on him to put the Warriors in scramble mode if they start helping. Golden State could try pre-rotating. But helping, by definition, always leaves somebody open, and James will find him.
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