Caitlin Clark and Stephen Curry have a lot in common. They are both recognized as the best 3-point shooters in their leagues, they love to shoot from long range, and they have great passing skills.

With similar skill sets, it’s no surprise that Fever coach Christie Sides has taken cues from Steve Kerr’s use of Curry and applied them to her star player. It’s no surprise that Curry’s plays have worked wonders on Clark, too.

What makes Curry so difficult to guard is that he constantly moves away from the ball. The Warriors constantly screen, creating space for Curry to move, escape his marker, and find comfortable space.

Here are some of the plays that the Indiana Fever learned from the Golden State Warriors and successfully applied to their star players.

Stagger Twirl

The move is called the ” Stagger Twirl.” It starts with Curry and another teammate setting up two screens in two different directions for Klay Thompson to get into shooting position. These are called staggered screens.

After creating space from Curry’s screen, Thompson did not continue to move past Kevon Looney but instead cut inside. At this time, Curry was the one who moved past Looney and was given space by the screen center.

Curry’s marker was blocked by Looney, and a gap for him to shoot a 3-pointer appeared.

Having two good shooters in Curry and Thompson makes it difficult for opponents to mark. Focusing on Curry leaves Thompson open. The Fever used Clark on a similar run.

Using a three-man screen is a great way to confuse opposing defenses, creating space for good shooters like Curry and Clark.

Flex

Flex action is one of the classic running moves in basketball, from high school to the pros. It works for both Curry and Clark because of the same “screen-the-screener” principles, which are difficult to defend if the defense doesn’t work together and move in sync after being thrown out of position due to a man compensation.

Clark’s “flex action” begins with her setting up a screen action for a teammate to cut along the sideline.

Immediately after that screen, another teammate moved in and screened Clark, giving her space to run to the 3-point line.

The Warriors have been running “Flex action” with Curry for years. Steve Kerr even brought it to the 2024 Paris Olympics when he led the US team.

Here’s an example of flex action from the Warriors against the Pistons last year. Curry sets a “flex screen” for Andrew Wiggins along the rim, then immediately runs to the 3-point line, where Looney has set up a screen. As a result, Curry has space and makes a 3-pointer.

This is all the space Curry and Clark need to hit shots, and it comes from the moment their opponents let their guard down as Curry or Clark goes from screener to screenee.

Gut Chicago

The “Chicago Gut” also known as the “Zoom action” has exploded in popularity over the past few years. It involves a player running off the ball, breaking free from a screen, and shooting a basket. The “Chicago Gut” is when a player runs from the bottom of the basket, around to the top of the hoop, similar to Clark in the image below.

The Warriors don’t run this “Chicago Gut” on Curry as much as the two above, but they still use it as an option when needed. Many Warriors players set up screens around Curry’s running lanes, giving him room to shoot.

Get

Get is a simple concept, but it is extremely effective for excellent shooters. The way to handle it is also very simple, that is, Curry makes a pass to Draymond Green and immediately runs straight in that direction. Green, upon receiving the ball, will pass back to Curry and perform a screen situation. At this time, whether the person covering Curry or Green will run into the Warriors center, from there Curry will have less space to shoot. This is the “secret weapon” of the Curry and Green duo throughout their career.

Get is extremely effective for dangerous players like Curry and Clark. It allows them to continue attacking as soon as they receive the ball, it also takes advantage of their speed when running towards the ball and optimizes players with excellent screen ability like Green and Aliyah Boston.

Fever have only started using Get in recent matches and it has been surprisingly effective.

Curry and Clark are both exceptional talents, but need separate systems to maximize their abilities.

The Warriors have built their offense around Curry’s danger with and without the ball. The Fever are doing the same with Clark at the center, but they don’t have the personnel to take advantage of all her skills.

The Fever need other excellent pitchers besides Clark to open up space for her.

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