Early attention

On the Warriors' first possession of the game, Curry fed Draymond Green at the high post. Green proceeded to fake a hand-off to Curry...

Appropriately, J.R. Smith made his first defensive mistake of Game 3 just 20 seconds in, initially staying with Curry as Tristan Thompson switched onto the shooter.

Green went right to the basket and Smith was forced to foul.

On the Warriors' next possession, JaVale McGee set an off-ball screen for Curry beyond the 3-point line...

Once again, the big (Kevin Love this time) switched onto Curry. And once again, Smith stayed with Curry too. This time McGee was free to roll to the basket, where Green found him for a dunk.

The Warriors may be the most difficult team to defend in NBA history, but it's kind of amazing that, in his 27th game against the Warriors over the last four seasons, Smith is making the same mistakes over and over again. Smith scored five points in the first minute and a half of Game 3, but he gave four right back to the defending champs.

After Game 3 and again after practice on Thursday, LeBron James put an emphasis on having "cerebral" players in this league.

"Not only do you have to have the talent," James said Thursday, "you have to have the minds as well.

"We're all NBA players. Everybody knows how to put the ball in the hoop. But who can think throughout the course of the game?"