Warriors News: Warriors Want to Play Faster, Avoid Calling Plays
The Golden State Warriors were the fastest offensive team in all of basketball last season, averaging a league-high 98.3 possessions per 48 minutes.
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And yet they want to be faster.
The Warriors like to run and they do it extremely well. They were second in offensive rating in all of the NBA, according to Basketball Reference. Over the course of the season, the Dubs also had the fourth most field goal attempts.
According to interim head coach Luke Walton, the Warriors want to be able to read defenses and attack almost immediately, without wasting time looking over to the bench to get a play call. They want to push the ball and get quick shots up.
Because of their versatility, every Warrior can start the break in some way. With their small lineups, the Dubs can push the ball with the dribble from the power forward position, with Draymond Green or Harrison Barnes pulling down a rebound and taking off. Big men Andrew Bogut and Marreese Speights are quarterbacks on the hardwood with the ability to throw cross-court dimes.
According to CSN Bay Area, the Warriors conducted a scrimmage last Thursday in which they weren’t allowed to run any plays. Get the ball and push it in transition. Bogut simply commented that “it was beautiful.”
After bringing back nearly the entire championship squad, the team has built up a chemistry that, when everything is clicking, makes them nearly impossible to beat. Over the last few years, the Dubs’ core has gotten a feel for each other that produces some truly beautiful free-flowing basketball.
October 5, 2015; San Jose, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard
Klay Thompson(11) celebrates with guard
Stephen Curry(30) against the Toronto Raptors during the first half in a preseason game at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Full court basketball is about feeling and instinct. From top to bottom, the Warriors’ roster is filled with extremely intelligent, selfless players who will pass up a good shot for a great shot. From Stephen Curry in the starting lineup to Andre Iguodala off the bench, they all want to push the ball.
Now, play calling is an important part of any championship team, but as Curry noted, most of the Warriors’ possessions are some kind of fastbreak. Countless opportunities opened up for Curry and Klay Thompson as a result of pushing the ball. The Warriors will look to continue and improve on the balance they found last year.
Less is more. For the Warriors title defense, they’ll look to simplify things by picking up the tempo, making smart passes, and using their strength to their advantage. Everyone knows their role and how they fit into the grand scheme of Steve Kerr‘s offensive plans.
And if the Warriors really can improve to the point of not needing to rely on play calling, then there’s no reason why they can’t compete for a title once again.