How Stephen Curry’s Presence Reshapes Defenses — Even From the Sideline

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr offered a detailed look this week at just how profoundly Stephen Curry influences NBA defenses. Speaking on the league’s Coaches Corner segment with analyst Tim Legler, Kerr broke down the mechanics of Golden State’s signature 5-out set and explained why Curry’s involvement — even without the ball — forces opponents into uncomfortable situations.

The Warriors will be without their superstar for roughly a week, but Kerr’s film study served as a reminder of how much of the offense still flows from Curry’s presence. Through clips and examples, he highlighted how defenses stretch, rotate, and miscommunicate simply because Curry occupies their attention.

Kerr used Minnesota center Rudy Gobert as a key example, showing how Golden State’s spacing is designed to pull traditional rim protectors away from their comfort zone. By forcing opposing bigs to defend high on the perimeter, the Warriors open the floor for cutters, secondary shooters, and the off-ball actions that have long defined their system.

Curry’s absence, meanwhile, comes at a difficult moment for Golden State, which is coming off a narrow NBA Cup loss to Houston. Yet Kerr expressed relief upon learning the injury was a quad issue rather than something more serious, underscoring how critical Curry remains to everything they do.

1. Curry’s Offensive Gravity in Kerr’s Film Study

Kerr began his breakdown by walking Legler through the Warriors’ 5-out action — a formation that positions all five players beyond the arc and relies heavily on quick cutting and screening. The central purpose, he explained, is to create space for Curry, whose shooting threat alone bends coverage long before the ball reaches him. He noted that the play can be initiated in several ways but always revolves around a simple principle: have the center feed the post and immediately set a split screen to free Curry. This alignment pulls the opposing center far from the rim, neutralizing their shot-blocking impact and forcing them to defend in less familiar territory. Kerr pointed to Gobert as the example, explaining that removing an elite paint protector from his comfort zone fundamentally changes a defense’s structure. When Gobert drifts out to the perimeter, Golden State gains driving lanes and cutting angles that would otherwise be swallowed up in the paint. The visual evidence, Kerr said, shows how little room Curry needs to create separation. Even the tiniest window becomes a scoring opportunity because defenses are constantly overreacting to avoid giving him an uncontested look.

2. Organic Variations in the Warriors’ Signature Set

While the 5-out is a staple, Kerr emphasized that its variations are often improvised rather than pre-scripted. Players recognize spacing and defensive tendencies on the fly, leading to natural adjustments that maintain the structure of the offense while adapting to the moment. He explained that sometimes the team will deliberately add a wrinkle — a flare screen, a slip, or a disguised action — to confuse the defense. But more often, the Warriors’ chemistry allows them to flow into the play without needing a formal call from the sideline. This flexibility is what makes Curry’s off-ball movement so difficult to guard. As Kerr described it, centers want to sag into the paint, but the Warriors continually force them to choose between staying near the rim or chasing Curry into uncomfortable areas. Kerr underscored the impossibility of the decision: if a center hangs back, Curry gets an open shot; if he steps out, the Warriors’ cutters have a runway. Either way, the geometry shifts in Golden State’s favor.

3. Navigating Curry’s Absence and Injury Outlook

Golden State will have to lean on those principles while Curry recovers from his quad injury. The Warriors dropped a tight 104–100 contest to Houston in the NBA Cup, highlighting how thin their margin becomes without their All-Star guard. Kerr shared that the initial uncertainty around the injury caused concern inside the organization. With Curry having endured various lower-body issues in the past, any setback involving his legs raises immediate alarms. The diagnosis brought relief, however. Kerr said he was “actually relieved” when he learned it was a quad issue rather than a knee or ankle injury, which historically have posed longer and more unpredictable recovery timelines for Curry. The Warriors are preparing to host the New Orleans Pelicans next, aiming to stabilize their offense and maintain rhythm until Curry’s return. Golden State expects him back soon, but his absence highlights how much of their identity is tied to his presence.