Defense still struggling in loss to Hawks

Golden State has lost 9 of 12

For the Golden State Warriors, what was once a bona fide top-10 defense hasn’t looked like it in a while, including in Friday night’s 124-108 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center.

Although forward Draymond Green returned from a one-game absence due to illness, the Warriors (22-24) offered little resistance at the point of attack or near the rim as the Hawks (2322) shot 55.4% overall, including 60 points in the paint. Atlanta forward John Collins scored 38 points and point guard Trae Young, whose free throws gave the Hawks a 22-point lead with 1:35 left in the second quarter, had 21 points and 15 assists.

The Warriors’ flimsy defense wasn’t helped by a laboring offense missing guard Stephen Curry (tailbone) for the fifth

straight game. Forward Andrew Wiggins scored 29 points and Golden State shot 49.4% overall, but the offense lacked its high- octane character and players settled for shots out of one- on- one situations.

But Curry’s eventual return won’t solve the defensive issues that have emerged over the last several games. The Warriors have lost nine of their last 12, and have dropped into the bottom 10 in the league in defensive rating over that stretch. This, after the Warriors in February ascended to as high as the league’s fourthbest defensive rating.

If the Warriors are going to snap out of this skid, get back to over .500 and push their way into the playoffs, it’ll start by getting the defense back on track.

Next, the Warriors will host the Chicago Bulls on Monday.