With preseason and training camp winding down, it's become obvious that the Golden State Warriors have two main deficiencies on the defensive end: perimeter defense and rim protection. Coach Steve Kerr was asked on Thursday after practice which issue should be considered most concerning.
"They're tied together, they're definitely tied together," he said.
Unlike during the franchise's glory years when the coaching staff had at their disposal elite rim protectors — such as Andrew Bogut in 2015, a younger Draymond Green, or even Kevin Durant and JaVale McGee — this iteration of the Warriors doesn't boast that same quality in terms of personnel. Instead, they're going to have to rely on their connectedness as a five-man shell, like Kerr mentioned in his post-practice discussion with reporters.
Protecting the rim takes more than a shot blocker
Solid rim protection inevitably requires effective on-ball defense, which the Warriors are clearly lacking. Being connected is a solution to help make up for that limitation. Standing in the right spots, learning the coverages, and studying the defensive rotations are the main components of a successful recipe. Kerr is adamant that, despite this roster's lack of pesky on-ball defenders, this team can be stout on defense.
"I think we have the potential to be a very good defensive team despite the quantity of on-ball defenders, I think we can be a very good defensive team as long as we're connected," Kerr said.
On the surface, the Warriors do possess above-average rim protectors. The issue is with their individual availability. Kristaps Porzingis, whose return to the hardwood is still uncertain, has been an elite rim protector since he joined the league in 2015. Last season, on 164 attempts within six feet of the basket with him as the primary defender, opponents shot just 49.4% — an elite mark. Al Horford, despite his advanced age, is still a solid defensive anchor. So is Draymond Green. Even Charles Bassey, who's blocked nine shots over five preseason games so far, can be a tough presence at the rim.
As Kerr noted, rim protection is a five-man operation, not a one-man job. It doesn't solely rely on the players lurking around the rim. In a league like the NBA, filled with talented, crafty, shifty players, perimeter defenders, as scrappy as they can be, are going to get beaten from time to time. Being connected and on point with defensive rotations would prevent nifty guards — like Austin Reaves in Vegas on Tuesday — from having straight lines to the basket and free layups. Those on-ball defenders need to know that a teammate is going to have their backs and discourage those shifty players from gettin to the rim again. Or at least let them know they're going to be met there.
That's where Frank Vogel and his "collision mentality" enter the equation. Following the departure of Jerry Stackhouse, who was in charge of running the defense last season, the organization opted for the experienced Vogel and his hard-nosed style of defense. Vogel, 53, is entering his 21st coaching season in the NBA, including 12 as a head coach. He led a defense-first Lakers team to a championship in 2019-2020.
So what's that "collision mentality" exactly? Turns out that the name is actually pretty self-explanatory. Vogel wants his defense to be physical and scrappy. He wants his guys to hit people at the rim and to jump vertically instead of running out of the way. The main point of that mindset is to make opponents think twice before attacking the rim. De'Anthony Melton mentioned in training camp that Vogel wants his defense "to have teeth."
Brandin Podziemski, whom Vogel called a rim protector despite his modest 6-foot-4 frame, embodies that mentality with his charge-drawing knack. Since entering the league in 2023, only Jalen Brunson has drawn more charges than Podziemski.
"BP is a rim protector," Kerr said. "He doesn't look like it but he's in the top three in charges taken every year. Every charge that he takes, that's rim protection."
Over the last four seasons, the Warriors have repeatedly finished in the bottom tier in terms of opponent field goal percentage at the rim. Again, the personnel inevitably factors into those statistics. Throughout that period, the Warriors' main rim protectors were Kevon Looney, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Quinten Post, JaMychal Green and Draymond Green. No matter the personnel, Kerr, Vogel, and the entire coaching staff believe the mentality is still key.
Melton used Yaxel Lendeborg's performance against the Lakers in Vegas as an example of what that mentality should look like. After picking up two early fouls against the Lakers, Lendeborg's defensive mindset shifted. Instead of remaining aggressive in spite of his two fouls, the rookie started to play a more passive type of defense, the one with the hands back. Melton mentioned that delicate balance between wanting to stay out of foul trouble to remain in the game and keeping his aggression up to prevent the opposing team from getting easy layups at the rim. It's part of the learning curve of being a rookie.
"I think that's what comes with being a rookie, figuring out that fine line of that," Melton said.
Kerr was much more satisfied with his team's defensive performance in the second half of the Lakers game, holding Los Angeles to just 26 second-half points on 10-for-34 (29%) shooting from the floor. Though their starters didn't play in the fourth, most of them played a majority of the third.
Next time they face that Lakers squad, not only will it count for real, but the starters will be on the court for the whole game. Oh, and Luka Doncic, who didn't suit up for either of the two preseason games between the Californian foes, will also be in uniform.
"Our mentality, that's what we have to build."
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