Whenever the Toronto Raptors face the Golden State Warriors, Fred VanVleet is always given the task of face-guarding Stephen Curry — and throughout their battles over the years, it’s easy to see why.
VanVleet is as close to the quintessential Curry “stopper” there is. He is short, stocky, and highly physical — but he also possesses astute defensive fundamentals. He is handsy without fouling. He makes screen navigation look almost as easy as Curry running defenders toward screens.
Most of all, VanVleet is well aware of Curry’s offensive tendencies.
VanVleet knows rule number one when defending Curry: stay attached to him at all times.