Golden State Warriors Film Room: 141-122 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers
2. Flex action with D’Angelo Russell
This play came with 7:00 remaining in the third quarter. You can find it by clicking this link here.
Everyone knew that D’Angelo Russell could play well on the ball, running pick-and-roll and isolations. But one of the big questions facing Russell was whether he would be able to play in the Warriors offense in the same way Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry do.
Draymond Green is one of the best playmakers in the game so it was imperative that Russell could play well off the ball. So this play is a welcome sight. This is a type of flex action whereby the screener receives a screen of his own to receive the ball.
More from Golden State Warriors
- Warriors unlikely to draft Anthony Edwards due to character concerns
- Warriors: September minicamp mimics NBA bubble
- Warriors: Eric Paschall named to NBA All-Rookie first team
- Warriors reportedly eyeing a wing in the 2020 NBA Draft
- Warriors: Is the team destined to trade its No. 2 overall draft pick?
Russell starts the play by setting a good pick for Robinson to cut to the basket along the baseline. He gets great contact on Kawhi Leonard and Green could have thrown the ball to Robinson for a layup if he wanted to. But he knew there would be a better shot opening up soon.
After Russell sets the screen, he turns around and runs towards the top, where Omari Spellman sets a screen for him. Russell sees that Patrick Beverley tries to cheat and go underneath the screen.
Russell reads this expertly and uses Spellman’s pick like a flare screen by skipping backward towards the wing. He gets behind the three-point line where Green then passes the ball to him.
Russell splashes the shot.
This is the sort of play that we’ve seen Thompson and Curry run hundreds of times. It is massively encouraging to see Russell execute the play. It means that the Warriors can still use their 73-win offense and Russell can be a part of it.