As it turns out, the biggest contribution for the Warriors in game four didn’t come from anyone actually on the court. After a thorough 103-82 victory for Golden State, news emerged that one of the most impactful decisions of the game from a video editor on Steve Kerr’s staff. The decision was to start Andre Iguodala in place of Andrew Bogut, and it changed the course of the series back in the Warriors’ favor.
Nick U’Ren, one of the assistants to Kerr, noticed something late Wednesday when he was watching film from last year’s NBA Finals. He saw that when the Spurs inserted Boris Diaw into the starting lineup, they had more playmakers and better spacing. Golden State achieved the same thing on Thursday, as the move forced the Warriors to go super small, but also forced the Cavaliers’ big men to guard areas they were less comfortable with. Ultimately, Cleveland started well anyway, but the pace of the game changed, and Golden State embraced it.
It initially looked like the move wasn’t going to pay off. The Cavaliers were now even more dominant on the glass, and jumped out to a 7-0 lead. However, Golden State hit their stride, and after the game Kerr said the change forced them to compete harder and more consistently than they had been. The super small-ball lineups worked excellently in game four, and having Iguodala on LeBron James for the entire game slowed him down enough to his lowest scoring output of the series at just 20 points. Yes, Timofey Mozgov dominated his matchup to the tune of 28 points and 10 rebounds, but the Warriors could now run like they wanted to and play more aggressively with better spacing.
In addition to having Iguodala on LeBron all game, the Warriors finally started to throw different looks at him defensively. At times they double-teamed him, and on other possessions they showed a double before recovering. As far as adjustments go, that was as key as changing the starting lineup. LeBron was forced to pass more, and his shooters couldn’t find their range. The Cavaliers shot just 4/27 from behind the arc, and J.R. Smith struggled in particular, shooting just 2/12 from the floor and 0/8 from three. Matthew Dellavedova couldn’t rebound from his cramping issues either, and shot just 3/14 from the floor as well. It looked clear that he wasn’t 100%, but that was music to Stephen Curry’s ears.
Continuing his fourth quarter success from game three, Curry played an efficient game and showed the poise and leadership his team needed. He put up 22 points and happily dished to his teammates when the Cavaliers trapped or double-teamed him. The lineup change meant more space, and Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes were finally able to get their offense going. Iguodala also dropped 22 points and was hitting shots from all over the floor, and Shaun Livingston and David Lee continued their impressive bench roles when the Warriors needed it. Livingston in particular was spectacular, with several key fourth quarter steals, baskets, and assists to the tune of a +25 rating on the night.
Golden State’s victory came down to improving their shooting numbers. In games 2 and 3, they were ice cold from the floor and behind the arc. Game four saw those numbers rise enough to win going away in the fourth quarter. However, when Cleveland cut the lead to three with a few minutes left in the third, this game looked like it could have been going down to the wire. LeBron led the charge, and Mozgov and Tristan Thompson provided key plays to trim the Warriors’ 12 point halftime lead to 3. However, Curry hit a step-back three, and the Warriors extended their lead before never looking back.
The playoffs are all about adjustments, and until game four, the Warriors simply hadn’t made enough of them. They finally got Curry free for better looks and gave him better situations to work with on offense. To their credit, the Splash Brothers happily ceded some of the offensive load to Green and Iguodala, as they were in mismatches for the entire game. Simply put, if the Warriors shoot like they are capable of, they are going to win. In game four, the Warriors did just that, and now head back to Oakland tied at 2, as the series comes down to a best of three for the NBA Championship.