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Golden State Warriors: 3 Reasons Warriors Are On Track

By Josh Cornelissen

Nov 1, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with teammates during the third quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with teammates during the third quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 1, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) passes the ball as Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) defends during the first quarter of the game at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) passes the ball as Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) defends during the first quarter of the game at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /

The Team’s Defense Locked In

Against the Spurs the Golden State Warriors completely folded on defense. The problems started at the pivot, where Zaza Pachulia looked helpless trying to defend the rim. Through four games he has continued to struggle in the middle, amassing a total of zero steals and blocks.

With Pachulia riding the bench in the first quarter, Golden State unleashed a version of the Death Lineup with Draymond Green at center and blitzed the Trail Blazers. An aforementioned career night from Ian Clark sparked the offense scoring 20 points in 5:07 of game time.

Just as impressively, the defense held Portland to just four points over that same stretch.

The length of Draymond Green and Kevin Durant form a frontcourt that is nearly impenetrable for pocket passing or shaky ball handlers. Both have incredible recovery speed and strong defensive instincts.

Durant doesn’t have the lower body strength that Harrison Barnes did, but his faster hands and increased reach more than make up for the difference.

The reason the Death Lineup was so potent last season was its ability to space the floor on offense without giving up defensive ground. With Durant the Warriors’ best five should be able to lock in on defense.

While that defensive presence was missing through the first three games, it came roaring back in Portland.

The wild card for the Warriors is whether the team has rim protection outside of Draymond Green. With Pachulia struggling, and the team’s other options still too young to drink, that burden falls on the shoulder of David West.

Tuesday night he checked in during that 20-4 run and continued the defensive pressure, playing alongside Green to lock down the Trail Blazers.

Any defensive contribution from West, McAdoo, or Looney will go a long way towards helping this team win games. Their offense will continue to pick up speed, and more than likely they will pace the league again this year.

But for the Warriors to go from a title contender to the presumptive winners, they need to bring an elite defense with them.

A few 20-4 runs and every opponent will fall to pieces. With the league’s reigning MVP, contributions from the bench, and a strong defense the Warriors will continue to win games by the start of the fourth quarter as they did in Portland.

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That’s the recipe for success that took a few games to set in.

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