The Warriors look to be in a perfect position.
They have the series lead over the Nuggets at 3 games to 2. They’re heading home to Oracle Arena to play a close out game where the fans will create an environment that’s rarely seen in pro sports. They have the best player in the series on their side and, for the most part, have made the crucial adjustments over the course of the series that should inspire confidence.
Things should be looking up.
However rather than focusing on all the good, the main story heading into this crucial game 6 is all about what the Warriors aren’t happy about. Mark Jackson complained heavily after game 5, calling the Nuggets cheap shot artists for playing a physical style with Stephen Curry. Today he’s taken more offense to comments George Karl made about Warriors’ back up center Festus Ezeli.
The focus has shifted from what needs to happen on the court to what’s going on off of it. And for the Warriors, that’s not necessarily a positive.
If anything, it shows that the Nuggets have invaded their heads and have them thinking about issues that aren’t related to what they need to do on the floor instead of the things that they can actually control. And once players lose sight of the things they can control, it often leads to a decrease in effectiveness.
Make no mistake, Jackson is clearly trying to protect Curry and get his star some calls and trips to the foul line that didn’t come in the last game. He’s also showing he has his players’ backs by speaking up for them in the media. These things, in a vacuum, aren’t bad at all.
But they could also serve as distractions for a young team who doesn’t have much experience winning these types of games. Not to mention that they could be interpreted as a coach who isn’t quite sure if his team can simply go on the court and win if the style of play from game 5 carries over to tonight’s contest.
What the Warriors need to do is find a way to play through whatever tactics the Nuggets are using and get back to playing the style that had them in firm control of the series through five games.
That means taking care of the ball offensively and not committing the types of turnovers that the Nuggets can turn into good scoring chances. It means protecting their offensive glass and not allowing the Nuggets to get the second and third scoring chances that not only lead to points, but slow the Warriors’ open court game that Denver has struggled to defend. It also means getting Curry the space he needs to become the scoring and playmaking threat that terrorized the Nuggets in games two through five.
If they can do those things, they have an excellent shot at winning. But the time has come to stop talking about what the other team is doing and instead focus on what they can do for themselves.
From the Nuggets’ side the equation is roughly the same they used in their game 5 victory. They need to pressure the ball to force miscues, hit open shots to keep the Warriors’ defense honest in their perimeter rotations, and continue to force a physical style of play via bigger lineup combinations that can bang the smaller Warriors around.
Accomplishing this means another strong night from Andre Iguodala on both sides of the ball, for Wilson Chandler and Corey Brewer to hit some of their open jumpers, and for JaVale McGee and Kenneth Faried to control the glass and provide a paint presence on both ends. Add in Ty Lawson pushing the pace and Andre Miller mixing in some good playmaking with his penchant to play isolation ball and the Nuggets have a chance.
Of course none of this will be easy, but the formula is there. If the Nuggets bring the requisite energy and commitment to their game plan, they should be right in the mix to win this game.
Unlike what Mark Jackson seems to be focusing on right now, the game will be won on the hardwood and not in the media. Hopefully his players understand this to be the case and match what the Nuggets are sure to bring to the table tonight. Because if they don’t, this series will head back to Denver for a seventh game.
