Cavs plan to stick to formula of wearing Curry down

Christmas Day wasn't particularly merry for Stephen Curry. The reigning two-time NBA MVP was held to 4-of-11 shooting - and just 2-for-7 from deep - in the Warriors' one-point loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

What appeared to be a difference-maker was the defense of DeAndre Liggins, who did his best to stick to Curry - including pressing him before half court.

With the rematch coming Monday, however, Liggins has relinquished the starting two-spot to Iman Shumpert. Yet for the Cavs, the goal remains the same.

"We just put a lot of pressure on him to physically take the punishment all game," Shumpert said, according to Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon. "We put a strong, athletic guy on him. When we guard him, guarding him up the floor, trying to get into his legs."

During the Finals last June, point guard Kyrie Irving frequently drew the task of checking Curry before switches and screens.

"Putting bigger guards on him has worked in the past," coach Tyronn Lue said. "Just try and wear him down, try and keep a big body on him because we know he can score in spurts, he can score fast. So we just want to try and wear him down as much as possible."

Curry is averaging 29.2 points and near 38-percent 3-point shooting in January after a more human December. Shumpert said it's crucial to keep up the pressure on him.

"If you consistently guard somebody, that way at the end of the game if they're last five minutes isn't as up to par, you feel like you did your job because you wore on him the whole game," Shumpert said.