Ogden’s Opus: In The NBA, Defense Still Wins Championships
Much has changed, but even in the modern NBA, defense still wins championships.
The 3-point shot has been instrumental in the success of the past five NBA champions. It was also the downfall of the Los Angeles Lakers, which won back-to-back titles in 2008-09 and 2009-10 before falling to the Dallas Mavericks in unceremonious fashion.
True as that may be, championship teams are not won built around the 3-point field goal.
Small-ball is no longer a gimmick utilized by inventive offensive-minded head coaches. The Golden State Warriors won a championship with it in 2014-15, and the Miami Heat did something of the same in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
True as that may be, all three teams shared something bigger than small-ball. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t all about the style with which the rotation was constructed.
Trends change on a yearly basis, but one thing remains the same: defense wins championships.
Every era of NBA basketball has featured pioneers and innovators. It’s how the sport has grown into both an art form and a science, coupling complex schematics and awe-inspiring teamwork with slew of statistics so vast that you could catch vertigo.
Through all of the developments, one thing has remained clear: defense wins championships.
The 2014-15 Warriors have been credited with ushering in a new era in NBA basketball, and the 23-0 team of 2015-16 has only facilitated that belief. Golden State has a pair of defensive-minded centers in Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli, but comfortably runs a small rotation.
For as prolific as Stephen Curry and the offense may be, however, what they’ve achieved wouldn’t have been possible without the presence of a genuinely dominant defense.
The Misleading Nature of Basic Statistics
The 2014-15 Warriors ranked No. 14 in scoring defense, which is a statistic that’s often utilized to dispute this theory. The issue with that number is that it’s a misrepresentation of the truth.
Golden State’s offense was explosive, but it’s defense was the best in the NBA in 2014-15.
The Warriors held opponents to 42.8 percent shooting from the field—the No. 1 mark in the Association. It also ranked No. 1 in defensive efficiency, which measures the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions.
Golden State may have run an up-tempo offense, but the source of its success was its uncanny ability to lock the opposition down.
In the regular season, the Warriors allowed at least 100 points in all 15 of its losses. It won 27 games when allowing 100 points, which builds a strong record of 27-15—a record that would translate to, roughly, 53-29 in an 82-game setting.
Here’s the thing: Golden State was 40-0 when it held opponents to less than 100 points.
40-0!
During the 2015 NBA Playoffs, the pace changed and the true identity of the Warriors was revealed. After prevailing from a high-scoring first round, Golden State held its opposition to less than 100 points in 10 of the next 12 games.
One of the two exceptions was the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 100-point outing in Game 1—an encounter that went to overtime.
Golden State Isn’t Alone
Not only were the Warriors an elite defensive team, but a vast majority of the champions before them shared the distinction. In fact, 11 of the past 12 teams to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy ranked in the Top 10 in defensive efficiency.
The only exception: the miracle Miami Heat of 2006, which featured an all-time NBA Finals performance by Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal—the ultimate anomaly.
Other than the 2006 Heat, every team to win a championship since 2004 has ranked in the Top 10 in defensive efficiency. That started with the Detroit Pistons in 2003-04 and continued on to Golden State in 2014-15.
Yet, the small ball and 3-point revolution appears to be all that our minds have recognized.
The center position hasn’t been eliminated, but instead diversified. Teams are finding ways to exploit an athletic or stylistic advantage by methodically pulling a traditional 5 in favor of a more athletic or rangy player who can, at the very least, hold down the proverbial fort.
The key to the successful utilization of small-ball and the dependency upon the 3-point shot, however, remains elite defense.
Balance Is Vital, But Defense Is The Key
Here’s the tricky thing about defense winning championships: it’s not really that simple.
Defense wins championships, but balance is the key to it all. Contrary to the manner in which teams won titles in the mid-2000s, it’s no longer realistic to believe that teams which struggle to put points on the board will win it all.
The reality is, an elite defense can win with an above-average offense. The same cannot be said for the inverse combination.
The Phoenix Suns of the mid-to-late 2000s revolutionized NBA basketball. Mike D’Antoni‘s, “Seven Seconds or Less,” offense featured two-time MVP Steve Nash, five-time All-NBA honoree Amar’e Stoudemire, and the likes of Leandro Barbosa, Raja Bell, Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion.
Bell and Marion defended at a high-caliber level, but Phoenix’s downfall was the absence of adequate team defense.
That’s remained true for every team since the Suns have come along. As previously alluded to, every NBA champion since the 2006 Miami Heat have ranked in the Top 10 in defensive efficiency.
Over the past five or so seasons, however, balance has become more vital than ever.
Each of the past five NBA champions have ranked in the Top 10 in offensive efficiency. In other words, the evolution of the NBA is not in the ability to convert 3-point field goals or play with athletic lineups.
The evolution of the NBA is found in championship teams’ unparalleled ability to balance an explosive offense with a dominant defense.
The 2015-16 Warriors have won supporters for their unfathomable shooting, but the 23-0 record comes with a ranking of No. 6 in points allowed per 100 possessions. The shootouts will come with a faster pace—a metric that Golden State ranks No. 3 in—but the defense remains the most vital asset.
Thus, as trends come and go, strategies are altered, and new fads are glorified, remember one thing as your team is built: defense still wins championships. Offense must be executed with a large measure of creativity and efficiency, but defense still wins championships.
There’s no way to win without it.
Quote: Nobody Bites
"“There is not much of a market for them,” one NBA executive said. “They are buyout candidates. Maybe Lance goes back to Indiana, you never know. You won’t get back much for them.”"
According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the Los Angeles Clippers have explored the trade market for both Josh Smith and Lance Stephenson. As the provided quote displays, however, there wasn’t much interest.
Smith was a borderline All-Star during his time with the Atlanta Hawks, thriving as both an offensive playmaker and defensive ace. Stephenson broke out for the Indiana Pacers in 2013-14, flirting with the All-Star Game and Most Improved Player awards.
It’s not too late for Smith, 30, or Stepehenson, 25, to achieve redemption. They’re key reserves on a championship contender, which means a selfless season could salvage their respective reputations.
For what it’s worth, Stephenson pulled down 10 rebounds on November 30 and scored 19 points on December 2. Smith had eight points and three blocks in 15 minutes during his most recent outing.
Don’t write them off just yet.
Under the Radar: Deron Williams, Dallas Mavericks
It may seem strange to list a three-time All-Star as the under-the-radar Player of the Week, but the honor goes to Deron Williams. He’s quietly thriving with the Dallas Mavericks, producing consistent and relatively efficient numbers under Rick Carlisle.
At times, he’s even looked like the player who once fought Chris Paul for the distinction of being the best point guard in the NBA.
Thus far in December, Williams is averaging 20.8 points, 7.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 3-point field goals made on a slash line of .467/.385/.895. He’s scored at least 20 points in six of his past 10 games.
It’s too soon to say he’s back as a star-caliber player, but Williams is certainly producing like one. The 31-year-old is scoring and facilitating at a high level, and has played with selflessness when utilized off-ball.
If he maintains this level of play, Williams may be in the discussion for a fourth All-Star Game appearance.
NBA Draft Stud: Jakob Poeltl, Utah Utes
Had Jakob Poeltl entered the 2015 NBA Draft, he would’ve been a lottery pick. He’d built the reputation of a potential defensive anchor, serving as both a strong rebounder and a physical rim protector who excelled at blocking shots.
The knock on Poeltl was his inconsistency on the offensive end. He showed promising flashes, but failed to do much in terms of consistently producing or developing reliable skills.
In 2015-16, Poeltl has silenced his critics by coming out of the gates as a man on fire. He’s averaging 21.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.5 blocks and 0.8 steals on 69.2 percent shooting from the field.
In a testament to his work ethic, Poeltl has vastly improved his free throw shooting, jumping from 44.4 percent in 2014-15 to 66.7 percent in 2015-16. For those who fear a small sample size, he’s already made 44 attempts in just eight games.
Team to Watch: Houston Rockets
In 2014-15, James Harden led an injury-plagued Houston Rockets team to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. In 2015-16, Houston has endured three different losing streaks of at least three games.
Fortunately for the Rockets’ faithful fans, J.B. Bickerstaff has them back on the winning path. They still aren’t in the most ideal of situations, but Harden and Dwight Howard have the Rockets clicking on all cylinders.
Houston has won five of its past seven games. In turn, it’s returned from the depths of despair to reemerge in the postseason discussion at 10-12.
Keep an eye on Houston; it may be back as a contender.