SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors have a goal they hope is temporary, seems improbable and might be unrealistic. On the surface.
They aim to develop a defensive identity without Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.
It’s admirable to play elite defense with them, but it’s quite another to do it without one, much less both.
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Green, a six-time All-Defensive team pick and the only Defensive Player of the Year (2017) in franchise history, has missed the last eight games while recovering from a disc injury. He is scheduled for re-evaluation next week, but since back injuries are particularly sensitive, it’s conceivable he’ll miss a month or more.
Igoudala, a two-time All-Defensive team selection and perhaps the craftiest ball thief in the NBA, has missed the last two games with left hip soreness and has played in only 25 of the team’s 47 games. The Warriors aren’t deeply concerned; their plan from the start was to play him sparingly and hope he can give them 20-25 minutes a game in the postseason.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are leaning heavily on two players, Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II, who under normal circumstances do their work in the shadows, to offset the unavailability of the two veterans.
And, so far, it’s working. The Warriors’ 104.2 defensive rating over last nine games – with Iguodala missing three games, and Draymond playing only eight seconds – ranks third in the NBA during that span.
Golden State Warriors
“Just getting back to the basics,” Payton said Monday after practice. “Having each other’s backs in situations and communicating. (Draymond) does a lot of our talking for us, and we were lacking in our communication in a couple games. But (Sunday) we picked it up a little bit.”
Looney is trying to do his job while also being the defensive communicator, an area in which Draymond specializes. The 6-foot-9 forward-center has gone from oft-injured to iron man. Though he doesn’t play big minutes, he is the only member of the team to start every game.
Still, it’s a lot to ask of someone averaging 21 minutes per game. He clearly needs help from the frontcourt likes of Andrew Wiggins, Otto Porter Jr. and rookie Jonathan Kuminga.
“With Draymond out, we really have to rely on our team defense,” Kerr said. “But in order to play great team defense, you have to have some great individual defenders.”
That’s where GP2, Wiggins and Klay Thompson come in.
“I still want Andrew to take the most dangerous guy, Kerr said. “It’s a great role for Andrew. But most teams have more than one dangerous guy. So, Klay will start getting some more difficult matchups as we go. I think he’s perfectly capable of handling it.”
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Maybe Thompson will get back to being a terrific defender. But not now. His surgically repaired left knee kept him out of the game Sunday and out of practice Monday.
For now, Payton is the guy most capable of playing strong on-ball defense while also forcing turnovers. His skills and knack for stealing dribbles are similar to those of Andre. That, however, only succeeds if there is appropriate defensive discipline around them.
“You don’t want everybody flying into the passing lanes and trying to make steals because you leave yourself vulnerable,” Kerr said. “It’s always a five-man effort. But everybody on our team is well aware of Gary and Andre’s ability to make a key steal and change the game.”
It’s a delicate balance the Warriors are trying to achieve. With the offense struggling, partly due to the unusually poor shooting of Steph Curry, it’s incumbent of the defense to hold things together until the scoring ticks up.
The development of a defensive identity is under way. Maintaining it is a lofty goal, requiring consistently immense effort from players who lack the credentials of Green and Iguodala. But it’s absolutely necessary for the Warriors to remain a contender.