Sports
How the Golden State Warriors Became One of NBA’s Best Defensive Teams
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry strips the ball from Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 2, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
(Bleacher Report) – It’s easy to look at the Golden State Warriors and point to their offense as the source of their early season dominance. Steph Curry is having an MVP-caliber year, Klay Thompson is playing at an All-Star level and their role players have taken several steps forward to plug the gaps.
Their 108.7 offensive rating (according to NBA.com) sums it up quite well, as only the Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers sit ahead of them in offensive efficiency.
But it’s the defense that has truly carried this team to another level of greatness, with a league-leading 96.2 defensive rating.
The Warriors have clearly improved on that end of the floor over the last several seasons, but the switch to Steve Kerr from Mark Jackson came with several noticeable changes schematically.
