Draymond Green (23 years old) of the Golden State Warriors blocks a shot against Daniel Gafford (21 years old) of the Dallas Mavericks and gets a rebound against Kyrie Irving (11 years old) of the Dallas Mavericks. After being acquired, he reacted in the fourth quarter of an NBA game at Chase Center. Tuesday, April 2, 2024, San Francisco, California. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO — The Mavericks won 11 of 12 games. Their two stars, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, are among the most dangerous scorers in the NBA and play off each other admirably. They have built the fourth-most efficient offense in the league since the All-Star break.
They came to Chase Center but were unable to break the century mark.
Golden State, suddenly playing a playoff-caliber defense, held Dallas to 100 points, the Mavericks' lowest total since Jan. 31. Steph Curry scored 13 points and Klay Thompson just 13 points on a night that led Dallas to victory. point.
“We're trying to be a little more conscious and understanding of our coverage and communicate early,” Chris Paul said. “It's funny, during the season we didn't know where to be. Sometimes we didn't have a guy. We started to understand that defense was the key to hanging our hats. We have some great shooters and scorers on the offensive line, but if we defend, everything else opens up.”
By anchoring their defense, the Warriors are finding their identity. That's what they need to “hang their hat on,” Paul said. During their five-game winning streak, their fielding percentage ranks second in the NBA (102.9). And by shutting down Dallas, Golden State withstood the stress test of an opposing team's superior offensive team.
“To me, that's a good sign that what we did on the road wasn't a (fluke),” said Steve Kerr.
“Our defense is the one thing. That's non-negotiable,” Golden State defensive ace Draymond Green said.
At points this year, it looked like the defense was not only negotiable, but that the Warriors were losing their end of the bargain. Transition defense has been a common challenge for Golden State this year, and it often comes down to simple effort. Lack of communication led to breakdowns at inopportune times. Relatively unknown players will be competing aiming for season highs.
Golden State ranked 20th in defensive rating before the All-Star break, and Green was suspended for a significant portion of that.
But over the past five games, the Warriors have stepped up as their playoff fate has been hanging in the balance. They held the Heat, Magic and Hornets to under 100 points before shutting down Dallas. But there were caveats to every game — Miami didn't have its top two scorers, Orlando was cold even against them, and the Hornets hadn't played a game in months. They enjoyed a relatively flexible schedule and good shooting luck. One might wonder how real Golden State's defensive progress was.
The Mavericks were a real test. The Warriors passed before the teacher asked them to put down their pencils.
With Doncic and Irving dominating the ball, the Mavericks rank fourth in turnovers per game. They take better care of the ball than almost any team. However, the Warriors still forced 15 turnovers, including nine by two All-Stars.
Doncic had a triple-double with 30 points, but Andrew Wiggins, Moses Moody and Gary Payton II made each possession tough for him. To reach 100, the Mavericks needed wild threes from Irving and P.J. Washington in the final moments.
“It was our defense that got us the win,” Kerr said. “It's pretty hard to hold them to 100 points. I thought Wiggs was great. He put in a lot of effort to make Luka work. Luka was great as always, but that effort really set the tone. .”
Wiggins looks much more physically imposing than he did earlier this year. It's not every night, but since the All-Star break, he's starting to look more and more like the 2021 All-Star who helped the Warriors win a title.
With Jonathan Kuminga missing the past four games, on-ball pressure from players like Wiggins, Gary Payton II and Moses Moody is critical.
Another development that changed the Warriors' fortunes was the emergence of Trayce Jackson-Davis. Jackson-Davis and Green are starting together, but the Warriors will be able to have a shot blocker on the court for the entire 48 minutes.
Jackson-Davis and Green posted elite marks, posting a combined defensive rating of 99.7, and could also anchor the unit on their own.
“Trace’s rim protection was great,” Green said. “With Trayce at the rim, our players can apply more pressure and be more aggressive because they know they have someone behind them to erase their mistakes.”
The same goes for Green as center, just 10x.
“Draymond is special,” Wiggins said. “So special. The mastermind of the defense. He's everywhere. He got everyone back. That's why everyone else is free defensively knowing Draymond is behind them.” It gives you an advantage to play.”
The outline of the Warriors hasn't changed much. But teams are getting used to the system. There are fewer miscommunications and fewer players pointing at each other as the other team trots back after taking his 3.
It's even more intense. The playoffs are right around the corner, and they should definitely have a chance to get seeded.
Payton II always brings energy. Moody Dove dove onto the floor against Dallas. Brandin Podzemski charges with his body and soars in traffic for a rebound. Wiggins seems to be working more consistently to reach his potential.
“We're fighting for our lives right now,” Wiggins said. “We are fighting to stay alive.”
Tuesday's defensive performance culminated in a moment when the game was evenly balanced. Green faced a two-on-one situation in the paint, as he has many times in his career. Kyrie Irving drove toward him with 90 seconds left, but he felt Daniel Gafford sneak up behind him. He got Irving to commit a dumpoff to the big man and recovered in time to stuff to center near the rim.
Draymond sent him to another dimension
pic.twitter.com/QtknyyKR11 — NBCS Warriors (@NBCSWarriors) April 3, 2024
Green's game-defining blocks come from instincts honed over many years. He began developing the skill to explode 2-on-1 situations in his classic 3-on-2 drills that all boys basketball teams practice. He learned a lot from Andrew Bogut and from being in that situation over and over again.
“I just want to keep the passer guessing,” Green said. “If you can keep the passer guessing, you'll be able to hide mistakes. You can protect both.”
The Warriors' defense starts with Green, who had four steals and one block. He is playing at an elite level and has no intention of letting go of the rope anytime soon.
Green and the Warriors proved Tuesday that they can stand up even against one of the best teams. In order to achieve full-fledged running, you need to continue doing so.
“I think our defense has been consistent through the last six or seven games,” Green said. “And that has to be the case if we are to continue this season to where we want it to be and try to make the playoffs and advance.”
