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  6. article_body => "<p>SAN JOSE \u2013 When Mike Brown joined the Warriors in July as their No. 1 assistant coach, replacing Luke Walton, reaction around the NBA was an outbreak of head-scratching.<\/p>\n<p>Folks thought it was odd that head coach Steve Kerr would replace an offensive guy with a defensive guy.<\/p>\n<p>They thought it was odder still that Kerr would hire a defensive assistant when he already had Ron Adams, widely considered the league\u2019s top defensive assistant.<\/p>\n<p>Kerr defended the move, saying Brown is a three-time head coach well versed in every facet of basketball.<\/p>\n<p>So Brown, sitting for an interview on Monday, awaited the inevitable question about the label that amounts to a sweet morsel of a compliment wrapped inside a salty coating of thick, crunchy insult.<\/p>\n<p>How do you feel about being labeled a \u201cdefensive\u201d coach, as if offense is an unfamiliar concept to you?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the perception that\u2019s out there,\u201d Brown, his face breaking into a grin, told <em>CSNBayArea.com<\/em>. \u201cIt\u2019s tough to fight. So I just kind of smile and go with the flow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This white flag, however, was held up with only one of Brown\u2019s hands. The other raised a finger to point out facts that contradict his one-dimensional image.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn order to be great, you\u2019ve got to able to grind it,\u201d Brown said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to be able to be physical. You\u2019ve got to be able to stop guys, because the ball is not going to always go in the hole. My mantra, going into any job as a head coach, has been that side of the ball initially.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut as time goes on, we start to work more offensively. It\u2019s evident if you look at our growth in Cleveland. We started out as a defensive team. But by the end of my tenure there, we were a top-five, top-10 offensive team in most major categories.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Brown,46, spent five seasons in his first tour with the Cavaliers, riding LeBron James and not much else to five consecutive postseason appearances. And, sure enough, the offense showed continual improvement. They were horrible the first two seasons, mediocre in the third but strong in the fourth and fifth.<\/p>\n<p>The Cavs in 2008-09, Year 4, ranked 13th in points, sixth in field-goal percentage and second in 3-point percentage. The following season, Brown\u2019s last, they finished ninth in points, third in field-goal percentage and second in 3-point percentage.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the \u201cdefense\u201d tag \u2013 a euphemism for unimaginative \u2013 stuck to Brown.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a battle that I don\u2019t choose to fight,\u201d he said. \u201cI know in the past, some of the teams I\u2019ve had have ranked very high on the offensive end of the floor. We wouldn\u2019t have had the success we had as a unit if we weren\u2019t good offensively. You have to have a balance.\u201d<br><br><\/p>\n"
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Warriors

Warriors

SAN JOSE – When Mike Brown joined the Warriors in July as their No. 1 assistant coach, replacing Luke Walton, reaction around the NBA was an outbreak of head-scratching.

Folks thought it was odd that head coach Steve Kerr would replace an offensive guy with a defensive guy.

They thought it was odder still that Kerr would hire a defensive assistant when he already had Ron Adams, widely considered the league’s top defensive assistant.

Kerr defended the move, saying Brown is a three-time head coach well versed in every facet of basketball.

So Brown, sitting for an interview on Monday, awaited the inevitable question about the label that amounts to a sweet morsel of a compliment wrapped inside a salty coating of thick, crunchy insult.

How do you feel about being labeled a “defensive” coach, as if offense is an unfamiliar concept to you?

“It’s the perception that’s out there,” Brown, his face breaking into a grin, told CSNBayArea.com. “It’s tough to fight. So I just kind of smile and go with the flow.”

This white flag, however, was held up with only one of Brown’s hands. The other raised a finger to point out facts that contradict his one-dimensional image.

“In order to be great, you’ve got to able to grind it,” Brown said. “You’ve got to be able to be physical. You’ve got to be able to stop guys, because the ball is not going to always go in the hole. My mantra, going into any job as a head coach, has been that side of the ball initially.

 

“But as time goes on, we start to work more offensively. It’s evident if you look at our growth in Cleveland. We started out as a defensive team. But by the end of my tenure there, we were a top-five, top-10 offensive team in most major categories.”

Brown,46, spent five seasons in his first tour with the Cavaliers, riding LeBron James and not much else to five consecutive postseason appearances. And, sure enough, the offense showed continual improvement. They were horrible the first two seasons, mediocre in the third but strong in the fourth and fifth.

The Cavs in 2008-09, Year 4, ranked 13th in points, sixth in field-goal percentage and second in 3-point percentage. The following season, Brown’s last, they finished ninth in points, third in field-goal percentage and second in 3-point percentage.

Yet the “defense” tag – a euphemism for unimaginative – stuck to Brown.

“It’s a battle that I don’t choose to fight,” he said. “I know in the past, some of the teams I’ve had have ranked very high on the offensive end of the floor. We wouldn’t have had the success we had as a unit if we weren’t good offensively. You have to have a balance.”