More comfortable away this season as proven by this series of three consecutive victories on the East Coast, the Warriors seem to have raised their defensive level during this “road trip”. As proof, they have just kept the Heat, the Magic and the Hornets below the 100 point mark, and over this period, admittedly short, Steve Kerr's players display the best defense in the NBA with 100.4 points conceded over 100 possessions.
The trigger would have come from a speech by Draymond Green, who criticized his teammates for not speaking in defense. Since he spoke, the team has not lost… “We are a very calm team… As a result, we have problems in defense when we communicate poorly” explained Green a week ago.
After the victory against the Hornets, Chris Paul confirmed that there had been a change. “We talk a little more. It starts with being positioned in the right places. I think we prove what we can do when we defend. »
The Warriors' problem is consistency. In February, they won 11 games out of 14 with the 5th defense in the NBA, and even the 2nd in their conference. And then in March, Stephen Curry and his teammates fell back into their ways. The absences of Chris Paul and Draymond Green obviously didn't help…
The Green – Jackson-Davis pair reveals itself
“Everyone is involved” notes Trayce Jackson-Davis. “I feel like we start the game with engagement on the field, talking, and that carries over to the rest of the game. If we get off to a good start defensively, I feel like that continues. »
For Steve Kerr, it's contagious, and for three games, it's Andrew Wiggins who has regained all his energy in defense. “Wigs is playing really well… Against Charlotte, he put a lot of pressure on the ball, and that was important for us. And I like the Draymond/Trayce combination because Trayce is a blocker. With Draymond playing as a middle linebacker, it's a good combination. combination. It gives a different look, but it's effective. »
