Nicolas Batum Questions Boston's Defense on Steph Curry

A fantastic defensive team, the Boston Celtics have proven their ability to defend some of the league's best offensive players this postseason. Giving Kevin Durant trouble in the first round, finding a way to overcome the dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo in round two, and then aiding in the inconsistency of Jimmy Butler in the Conference Finals, Boston has faced it all this postseason. With Steph Curry providing challenges that the aforementioned players did not, there is a uniqueness to this matchup that Boston has yet to entirely adjust to.

Despite the Celtics leading the series 2-1, Steph Curry has been dominant, averaging 31.3 PPG on 49% from the field and 49% from deep. His ability to score from all three levels has allowed Steph to dissect Boston's defense in a way that others across the league have been unable to. Aiding in some of this dominance from Steph has been Boston's occasional tendency to play drop coverage when Steph is the pick and roll ball handler, allowing the game's greatest shooter to step into relatively uncontested threes.

While questionable on the surface, Boston typically plays two bigs in Al Horford and Robert Williams that are not proficient defenders on the perimeter. Should they opt to step up on Steph, the quick guard could easily beat them off the dribble, and create problems with his finishing and playmaking ability. While a near guaranteed result, some perhaps rightfully agree this is a better approach than allowing Steph to operate against drop coverage.

In a Tweet during Steph's 3rd quarter explosion in Game 3, LA Clippers forward Nicolas Batum questioned Boston's decision to remain in drop:

Drop defense?
— Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) June 9, 2022

While Boston was able to survive and win the game, Steph's 3rd quarter gave Golden State a brief lead after what was a slow start for the Warriors. It will be interesting to see how each team adjusts in Game 4.

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