Golden State Warriors: Defence Will Decide Title

“Defence wins championships” is the old maxim used by analysts or even casual fans when they need to emphasize the importance of defences and the role they play in winning a championship. It’s a clichéd term that has some merit to it – after all, if you win if your opponent scores less than you do.

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In Game One of the 2015 NBA Finals, we saw just how important defence was to the Golden State Warriors down the stretch.

The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Warriors for most of the game. They held the lead for most of regulation, and were even up by 14 points at one stage of the game. It was clear from the start that the Warriors were dealing with nerves, and weren’t quite themselves under the bright lights of the Finals.

However, as the game went on, it became increasingly clear that the Warriors were the better team. In usual fashion, they went on a run to end the second quarter dead even with the Cavs, and even fought back from another deficit in the fourth quarter. In the overtime period, the Warriors simply decimated the Cavs, and didn’t allow them to score until the dying moments of overtime.

Lead changes during 2015 NBA Finals Game One

It’s these runs that make the Warriors so dangerous. Boasting the best regular-season defence, the Warriors’ ability to shut down the opposing team’s offence can turn the game in the blink of an eye. Double-digit leads aren’t a problem for these Warriors to overcome – all it takes is a few defensive stops and a few quick threes.

The Warriors’ defence also fuels their transition offence. When the team is able to get a steal or a block, their first instinct is to push the ball in transition. Any player on the team has freedom to push the ball, and it’s not a strange sight to see their big men bring the ball up on any given possession. The Cavs were able to contain the Warriors’ transition offence, limiting them to just 14 points in Game One, but I feel as though that number will rise as the series goes on.

The one wrinkle that LeBron James and the Cavs present to the Warriors’ defence is the issue of switching perimeter defenders. A hallmark trait that has made the Warriors’ defence so effective is their ability to switch their wing defenders without giving up a significant advantage. The size similarity and wingspan of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes allows them to switch their matchups on the pick-and-roll coverage, and denies the opposing ball-handler the separation created from the screen.

But, the Cavs set out to exploit the Warriors’ frequent switching in Game One. Klay Thompson’s man would set a screen for LeBron James, and they would try to get LeBron on a switch against Klay. James’ size is too much for Klay to handle, which resulted in him posting up Klay and backing him down all the way into the paint. The Warriors tried hard not to allow the switch, but abandoning a core principle of their defence during such a crucial time will hurt them. Instead, they assigned Andre Iguodala on James, with Iguodala’s useful ability to fight through screens.

The Warriors’ offence can ignite and reach supernova levels within minutes, but the Warriors’ defence will be the deciding factor of the playoffs. Only time will tell if the old maxim speaks the truth.

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