In the 2007 NBA Finals, then-Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown noticed that the Spurs repeatedly went underneath the screen on pick-and-rolls when LeBron James had the ball. It was a strategic move: Only four years removed from high school at the time, James’ jump shot was still inconsistent.
“You have to be careful going under the pick-and-roll against him now,” Brown, now the Warriors’ acting head coach, said after practice Friday. “If you do, he’ll make you pay. Not just one or two threes, but he’s liable to go off for five threes in a row if you disrespect his shooting ability.