42 Comments

Is Steph the best in the league at causing "friendly fire" screens in opposing defenses? I feel like he is. That's one of the tricks The Most Interesting Guy on the Court has had to pick up to find open looks I suppose.

Fun breakdown as usual! I will say, it sounds like you felt obligated to break down Steph's insane play (which, fair, it was nuts) instead of Bjelica's, but if anything I appreciate it more when you look at someone who's not usually the focus of attention. So I'm always looking forward to more Beli/Loon/Juan/whoever E1Ps in the future!

Marveling at Steph's brilliance is awesome, but sometimes it feels like there's less to learn because of his incomparable skills such as, "You thought you were defending me? Nah." (See also: E1P on Steph vs the Nets in the previous game.) This video was a great case study in a different aspect of his game, what I'm going to start calling the "off-ball triple threat" of curl/pop, dive/backdoor/roll, or (back/down)screen. Few players in the league are actually credible threats for all three, but Steph is astoundingly elite at all of them.

Incidentally, this year the Warriors are *loaded* with other guys who embody the off-ball triple threat: DLee, Bjelica, and OPJ, for example. Poole is getting better. Last-we-saw-of-Klay he was pretty good at it too. It's very efficient basketball, but also just fun to watch.

Cheers!

Expand full comment

Wow, didn't think Draymond would miss a homecoming game. Guess he really is hurt.

Expand full comment

No Curry, Draymond, Andre, or OPJ tonight.

Alright Poole, time to find your 3pt shot, please?

Expand full comment
Nov 19, 2021Liked by Eric Apricot

That was a great breakdown. As usual I was watching at the time, yet missed everything. Poor Okoro just couldn't keep up. A couple of notes: 1. I LOVE when right out of the gate you haven't seen the play and you correctly predict exactly what's going to happen. It's hella entertaining. Consider doing an E1P that's like "Stump the Apricot" where you have the footage and have to guess right or wrong what's gonna happen. Even if you're wrong your logic will probably be superior to what happened. Stump the Apricot is a terrible name. 2. The smidge of daylight Steph needs to get off a clean three is so small. I mean, I already knew that, but it's underscored here so amazingly. 3. Kevin Love has his head down in his towel at times on the bench, even when the play is near him. Maybe it's nothing, maybe he's just tired, but he has mentioned mental health concerns in the past. I'm the last guy interested in shaming him. I'm a therapist -- just not his therapist. I point it out to say kinda "poor guy," and ruminate aloud about how tough it must be to have to keep a smile on your face and a bounce in your step for millions of viewers if you happen to not be feeling it. I don't know that's where he's at, but I can certainly say by the numbers that there are always going to be human beings not at their best, and they deserve our compassion, not judgment. It happens at your office, imagine it happening at an arena. Proud of Love for talking about it, takes guts in a macho sub-culture.

Expand full comment

Lowe's 10 things he likes or dislikes has a bonus for Warriors fans this week, in that Steph and the Warriors are #1 and the text is fully available in the free preview: https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32662557/lowe-10-things-simmering-sixers-sophomore-ugliness-houston-stephen-curry-induced-panic

Expand full comment
Nov 19, 2021Liked by Eric Apricot

As a casual fan (if screaming at the TV every time they turn the ball over counts as casual), I've learned more about screening watching these videos than anywhere else. Thanks for doing these breakdowns.

Expand full comment

Somebody need to ask the warriors the real questions. Does the Cleveland visitors locker room still smell like champagne?

Expand full comment

On a completely irrelevant note, I know people always compare the 2017 Warriors vs. 96 Bulls for greatest team of all time but . . . I don't really think that one is that close (adjusting for all time great teams of course).

For me, it's far less Warriors vs Bulls, but 17 Warriors vs. 86 Celtics.

Expand full comment

Great stuff, as always!!

Expand full comment
Nov 19, 2021Liked by Eric Apricot, Duby Dub Dubs

Another great video breaking down Steph and the 4th q. Not as good as Eric’s of course but still good content

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=367&v=Qq-ewGMk73A&feature=emb_logo

Expand full comment