How the Warriors used Klay Thompson to shut down Paolo Banchero
Heading into the season, Steve Kerr discussed how he planned on using Klay Thompson to guard opposing forwards. The Golden State Warriors head coach is comfortable in trusting Thompson to use his experience and lower body strength to limit the impact of physically imposing forwards.
At times, the Warriors have strayed from that plan. However, against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday (Jan. 2,) Kerr entrusted Thompson to guard reigning Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero. Thompson spent 21 partial possessions guarding Banchero, holding him to 5-of-9 shooting while also securing a block. 49.5% of Thompson’s defensive minutes were spent guarding the Magic’s star forward.
In a recent video posted by the “Warriors Breakdown” YouTube channel, they looked at how Thompson’s performance against Banchero helped provide some stability to the Warriors’ defensive unit. They also looked at how Kerr’s system ensured Thompson was in a position to be successful despite such a tough defensive matchup.
You can watch the breakdown video by clicking on the embedded link above.
