5 adjustments Steve Kerr made to outcoach Ime Udoka and win the NBA championship
The Golden State Warriors are the 2022 NBA champions, a feat they accomplished by winning Game 6 in Boston. Steph Curry was amazing in the Finals, and Steve Kerr's adjustments were flawless.
The Celtics and Ime Udoka lost the series, but they have a great young roster that could compete for many years to come. The Warriors, on the other hand, showed what it means to have a lot of playoff experience. They did not let the losses affect them, and their Game 6 victory was just incredible.
Steve Kerr made some huge adjustments after the Game 1 loss and completely outcoached Ime Udoka for the rest of the series. Here's a look at five major adjustments made by Kerr:
1. Steve Kerr adjusted the Warriors' defense
A horrible defensive performance in Game 1 saw the Celtics shoot 50.6% and 51.2% from the 3-point line. Steve Kerr did a much better job with adjusting the defensive game plan.
Despite the Celtics trying to hunt Steph Curry on many possessions, the Warriors played smart help defense. They forced turnovers and prevented Boston from scoring.
Thanks to this incredible defense, Jayson Tatum ended the series shooting only 36.7% overall. It was one of the worst shooting performances in NBA Finals history.
2. Using the bench as an X-factor
Despite Steph Curry's fantastic performances in the NBA Finals, the Warriors got a lot of production from their bench. While everyone expected Jordan Poole to play well, some of the other players did a commendable job.
Jayson Tatum just can’t get it going against Nemanja Bjelica 😅
For a guy that’s called “Professor Big Shot” in numerous countries, his defense has been key in big moments this series! https://t.co/n8jpYG1I1p
Specifically, Steve Kerr used Gary Payton II and Nemanja Bjelica more frequently, and they ended up being difference makers.
Gary Payton II put on a great show in the NBA Finals, despite coming off an injury. Bjelica was praised for his effort, especially on the defensive end. His defense on the Celtics wings was amazing.
3. Using Steph Curry in pick-and-roll plays
Steph Curry is the greatest shooter of all time, but he is also much more than that. Steve Kerr knows how versatile the point guard is, which is why he used him in a lot of pick-and-roll plays in the NBA Finals.
Draymond Green and Kevon Looney were the most frequent screeners for the four-time NBA champion. They did a fantastic job helping Curry break the Celtics' defense.
In most situations, the Celtics would have to bring a help defender. This wasn't ideal considering the Warriors had many lethal shooters who knocked down shots after Curry's pass.
2. Using Andrew Wiggins as a two-way player in the series
Steve Kerr got the most out of Andrew Wiggins in the NBA Finals. Wiggins even scored 26 points in crucial Game 5, leading the Warriors to a commanding 3-2 lead over the Celtics.
What stood out about Wiggins, however, was his amazing defense; more specifically, his defense on Jayson Tatum. He was matched against him for almost every minute of Games 5 and Game 6 and he did a great job.
Wiggins was tied with Draymond Green in contested shots at the rim and he limited his opponents to only 50% shooting in this area.
1. Steve Kerr did not let the Celtics catch a break
The Golden State Warriors are one of the most dangerous teams from 3-point range. When they start making it rain, it's all over.
This was the story of Game 6 when the Warriors had a 21-0 run, the longest run in the last 50 years in an NBA Finals game.
The numbers behind the Warriors' 21-0 run 👀 https://t.co/0aB2Wbm30s
Kerr is very experienced and has won championships both as a player and as a head coach. The Celtics, on the other hand, are a young team with a rookie head coach.
Kerr knew that such a big run would mentally beat the Celtics, and that is precisely what happened. After taking the lead in the first quarter, the Warriors never looked back, and they ended up winning their fourth championship in the last eight years.
It's important to note that this wasn't all about the Warriors' hot hand. Their defense was a big reason for this run. Once again, they won a game after forcing a lot of turnovers.