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Golden State Warriors: 5 Areas That Need Attention Before The Playoffs

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 16, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) moves down court as fans react to his three point basket against the New York Knicks during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Knicks 121-85. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) moves down court as fans react to his three point basket against the New York Knicks during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Knicks 121-85. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors
Mar 21, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) dribbles in the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Tighten Up On D

The Warriors need to get healthy, they need to toe the line between resting and securing the No. 1 seed, and they need Harrison Barnes to pull his head out of his soon-to-be-max-contract rear end. But assuming that injuries and ill fate don’t come raining down from the sky, all the Dubs really need to do to win a championship is get back to their roots and tighten up the defense.

On the season, the Dubs rank fourth in defensive efficiency (behind only the Spurs, Hawks and Pacers), surrendering only 100.6 points per 100 possessions. But since the All-Star Break, that number has skyrocketed to 104.9 points per 100 possessions, ranking 12th in the league. The Spurs, Cavs, Celtics, Hawks, Pacers, Clippers, Heat and Hornets have ALL been better in that span.

Under Mark Jackson, the Dubs were a defense-first team with an offense nowhere near as productive as its personnel indicated it should be. In the first year under Kerr, everything changed, but the Warriors still ranked first in defensive rating for their championship season. This year the offense has risen to historically unstoppable levels, but the defense has slipped up a bit.

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Over the last few weeks, that “a bit” has been more like “a lot.” Not having Bogut, Iguodala and Ezeli for some of those games is obviously a factor, but to win in the playoffs when opponents will be trying to slow the pace down and limit that high-powered offense, the Warriors will need to rely on that elite defense that propelled them to new heights in the first place.

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