Cavs, Warriors face same challenge: Stop other team’s superstar

Cleveland forward James, Golden State guard Curry can take control of series

Both teams in the NBA Finals face a monumental challenge: How do you prevent Golden State guard Stephen Curry or Cleveland forward LeBron James from taking control of the series?

The early plans are for the Warriors and the Cavaliers to rotate several defenders to try to limit the damage of two of the world’s best players.

A few day ago, James was asked for his assessment on how to slow Curry. “The same way you slow me down,” James told reporters in Cleveland. “You can’t.”

Curry also was asked about James. “We have to be locked in and focused,” Curry told reporters in Oakland. “All five guys on the floor.”

Game1of the Finals is Thursday night in Oakland.

During the regular season, Curry was a go-to player most nights, but he still won his first Most Valuable Player award. He has been even better in the playoffs, averaging 29.2 points per game.

As for James, now in his 12th season, no defensive scheme seems to limit him for long. This postseason, James is averaging 27.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game.

“I say this for both players: It’s easier said than done,” TNT analyst Reggie Miller said. “If that was the case, one wouldn’t be a four-time MVP and the other one just wouldn’t have gotten the MVP award.”

Miller and fellow Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, a TNT studio analyst, offered completely different ideas on how to defend the 6-foot-8, 250-pound James.

“I would force LeBron left and force him to shoot jumpers,” Barkley said.

“He loves to go left and step back,” Miller said. “So I would force him right.”

Miller described Curry as a “magician” with the basketball who, “outside of Kobe Bryant, is probably the best bad-shot-

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TV: maker” in the game.

Curry’s quick release drives defenders crazy. And he can get his shot off the dribble, running off screens, with hands in his face and from anywhere on the court.

“As much as it pains me, I think you have to make Steph a driver,” Miller said. “And, yes, he can make those crazy one-handed, Steve Nash-type shots. But what would you rather have? Would you rather him coming off screens and knocking down 3s or taking short 2s in the paint?” Miller might be on to something. In 15 playoff games, Curry leads the league in 3-pointers attempted with 167, making 73 of them (43.7 percent). That means exactly half of Curry’s points this postseason have come from beyond the arc.

The Cavaliers will use multiple defenders on Curry, from James to guards Iman Shumpert, Kyrie Irving and Matthew Dellavedova.

“The thing with Steph is that you can never relax and you have to always be aware,” Cleveland associate head coach Ty Lue said. “You can’t never turn your head. You’ve got to be locked into Steph Curry because one mistake, and he’s going to make you pay. He’s a great player and he’s going to score points, but you can’t gift him points.”

Most teams try to make James into a jump-shooter and limit his drives.

His 280 2-point attempts in the playoffs this spring are the most of any player, and he made 48.9 percent of them. But James has taken only 68 3-pointers, making just 12 for a playoff-career-low 17.6 percent.

The Warriors will rely on forwards Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green as well as guards Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson to defend James.

“You’ve got a better chance of beating them with [James] getting 40 points than him getting 28 [points], 13 [rebounds] and 12 [assists],” Warriors associate head coach Alvin Gentry said. “But he is a player who is going to do the right thing, and he’s going to make the right play.”