Heading into tonight’s matchup against the Clippers, the Warriors are sitting atop the Western Conference. This is thanks to a 10-2 start to the season. A big reason behind the Warriors’ early success has been their defensive intensity. Channing Frye discussed this on the Center Court ahead of the Clippers-Warriors matchup on NBA TV.
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Frye discussed how the Warriors’ defense reminds him of the dynasty era.
“I think they have been amazing to watch. And obviously, offense is what most people look at. But I think defensively [Golden State] reminds me of the team when they were at that dynasty. I’m not saying this is that, but this young team has bought in to that end of the floor. And it’s awesome to watch.”
“Defensively [Golden State] reminds me of the team when they were that dynasty” @channingfrye sees a lot of resemblance between these @warriors and their past championship teams #CenterCourt | @madebygoogle pic.twitter.com/1IXUJkIkUO
— NBA TV (@NBATV) November 19, 2024
Channing Frye would know a thing or two about the dynasty Warriors, considering how he played them in back-to-back NBA Finals in 2016 and 2017. Seeing what the team was able to pull off at their peak, and how they’re bringing back their defensive identity has made the Warriors fun to watch again.
Even though Stephen Curry has been must-see TV, the lack of a defensive identity was bothersome. However, things are different this year around. With the addition of Jerry Stackhouse to the coaching staff, the Warriors have made defense a priority once again.
They’re currently fourth in the league with a defensive rating of 107.9. Their emphasis on perimeter defense and getting deflections has been a key reason they have been able to restrict their opponents to a mere 30.5% from the deep. Draymond Green has been the Warriors’ heart and soul on defense and has been leading the charge once again.
For the Warriors to continue their hot start to the season, their focus on defense must remain undeterred.
Warriors had good defense during their dynasty years
Even though the Warriors made the flashy 3-pointers a staple in today’s NBA, what most people forget is the defense they played. The Warriors were consistently a top defensive team in the NBA during their dynasty runs.
When they won their first championship in 2015, they had the best defensive rating(100.4) in the league. Moving on, their defense faltered a little during the 2015-16 73-win season. They fell to the 6th spot, with a defensive rating of 102.8.
Once Kevin Durant joined them in 2016, their defense climbed back up to the 2nd best in the league, with a rating of 103.4. However, in 2017-18, the flurry of injuries affected the defense. They were 11th in the league with a defensive rating of 106.8.
In 2018-19, their defense was 11th best in the league, with a rating of 108.6. The Warriors made it to the NBA Finals each of these five years, winning three titles.
Meanwhile, their last championship in 2022 hinged on their defense as well. They had the 2nd best defensive rating(106.6) in the league.
Judging from this pattern alone, we can confidently say that the Warriors need to be on their game defensively if they want to make another deep post-season run.
