Great teams don’t always play great, but great teams find a way to win, and that is exactly what the Golden State Warriors did in their 97 – 87 grind out win Monday night at Oracle Arena to take a 2-0 series lead over the New Orleans Pelicans.
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Last night should finally put the nail in the coffin on the notion that this is a Golden State team of yesteryear, one that relies on outscoring opponents and plays suspect defense. All the metrics point to the Warriors having the No. 1 defense in the league, and it was on display for the world to see last night, led by the super-human junk yard dog that is Draymond Green. Green finished +24 for the game, spending the majority of his time guarding future MVP Anthony Davis. He played 42 minutes, and when Coach Steve Kerr did take out Green for a breather, he was furious.
Draymond on when Kerr took him out. Their dynamic remains funny pic.twitter.com/bZFwZ5U7Lp
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) April 21, 2015
That mentality is what defines Green, and why everyone outside of the Bay Area is finally starting to understand why it will not be a shock at all when he receives max deals this summer. They should re-name Elmer’s Glue after Draymond.
Green wasn’t the only one getting it done in this grind out affair last night; the bench stepped up big as well. The starters handed Leandro Barbosa and Co. an 11-point deficit to start the second quarter, but the Brazilian Blur and Mo Speights got the energy back in to Roaracle, helped cut that deficit in half, gave the starters six minutes of rest and when Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson returned, the Splash Brothers were able to give the Warriors a three point lead at the half.
April 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard
Leandro Barbosa(19) celebrates after making a basket while being fouled against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 97-87. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The importance of solid bench in this type of game can’t be overlooked. Whereas the Pelicans were tired in the fourth quarter (Davis shot 0-5 in the 4th, logging 45 mins) Golden State stuck to its usual script, giving their guys rest and keeping them fresh for crunch time. It clearly worked as the Warriors held the Pels (is that their nickname?) to 16 fourth quarter points. The Warriors just wear on you defensively through 48 minutes and it was evident last night that the wear and tear was too much for New Orleans to overcome.
Defense is king in the playoffs, and with opposing teams being supremely focused on slowing down Curry and Thompson, it is very likely we’ll continue to see these grind out games as the post-season progresses. But the Warriors’ success in this type of game shows why they are the No. 1 seed in these playoffs. They are versatile. They are lethal. They are imposing. If a team wants to have a “defensive game” with the Warriors, Golden State is the squad bringing the best defense to the floor.