Warriors aim to build an elite defense
In an offensive spectacle one night last December, the Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks each surpassed 70 points in the first half and, by the end of the night, combined for 262 points. And the Warriors lost by 20. “That game was a good reminder to me that no matter how well you shoot it, how efficiently you score, when you can’t make stops, you just can’t really get any traction in the game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said last week.
When the Warriors open training camp today, defense will be the primary focus. The goal is to be a top-10 defense this season.
Since Kerr took over as head coach in 2014, the Warriors have been known for their scorchedearth approach to offense. But, as Kerr routinely says, defense was just as important to the team’s five-year run of dominance.
With Draymond Green flanked by elite wing defenders Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, the Warriors finished no worse than 12th in Defensive Rating in their first five seasons under Kerr, peaking at No. 2 in 2014-15. Last season, the Warriors ranked 24th among the 30 teams.
Thompson’s season-long absence was a factor, and it will remain so as he recovers from a second season- ending injury. To address the loss of Thompson, the Warriors acquired Kelly Oubre Jr., a long-armed wing with scoring ability, and drafted 7-foot center James Wiseman with the No.
2 pick. Kent Bazemore and Brad Wanamaker also figure in the mix.
“I think we have potential to be an excellent defensive team,” Kerr said. “I’ll challenge the guys from Day One that we want to be a top-10 defensive team. Training camp will largely be centered around our defense.
“We’ve got to get stops, establish ourselves as a defensive team first,” Kerr said. “Then the offense we’ll figure out as we go.”
Alongside Stephen Curry, the starting lineup will feature more length than a year ago. Andrew Wiggins and Oubre, both at 6-foot-7, are athletic slashers who can create turnovers with steals and deflections. Green, 30, is four years removed from being the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, but he remains among the smartest defenders in the league.
Unlike the experienced groups that carried the Warriors to glory, this one will rely on athleticism to aggressively defend opponents.
Oubre will fill Thompson’s role defending opposing ball handlers.
“He’s got the ability on the ball to hound people. I envision us using Kelly quite a bit on the ball,” Kerr said.
Kerr also plans to have Wiggins guard opposing wings, and he will challenge Curry to hold his own defensively. “I think we can mix and match and have a lot of options defensively. We plan on using those options,” Kerr said.
At center, Golden State will rotate Wiseman, Kevon Looney and Marquese Chriss. Kerr isn’t ready to name a starter, but getting Wiseman on the floor with Green and Curry is a priority.
Green, as he did with Looney, will mentor Wiseman. Looney is likely to anchor the second-unit defense when Curry and Green are resting on the bench. Chriss, last season’s starter, has the inside track to start opening night, but that could change.
“As always, we’ll figure out who starts and who plays in what role as we go,” Kerr said.