As the Warriors have worked their way atop the NBA standings, many have pointed at their weak strength of schedule as a reason to question their early-season success.
There might not be a stiffer test in the NBA right now than playing the Brooklyn Nets on the road. Even without Kyrie Irving, the Nets are still the runaway favorites to win the 2022 NBA title, according to oddsmakers in Las Vegas.
In a game that featured playoff-like intensity, the Warriors put the clamps on the high-powered Nets offense led by Kevin Durant and James Harden in a 117-99 win at Barclays Center.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that the Warriors broke down the Nets in the third quarter with a 35-18 run that put them up by 22 points heading into the final period. The Nets shot just 5-for-22 (23 percent) in the third while the Warriors shot 13-of-18 (72 percent). Durant went 0-for-8 in the third quarter and sat the entire fourth with Harden, as the Warriors turned the final period into garbage time.
“That third-quarter defense was just suffocating,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game. “That turned the game.”
You’ve heard of a box-and-one defensive scheme before, but the Warriors employed a triangle-and-two type defense to focus on Durant and Harden and it appeared to work. The Nets were limited to just 39.1 percent shooting.
Kerr said the Warriors coaching staff thought about implementing new defensive schemes over the offseason.
“If we can at least throw some different looks at teams, it’s helpful,” Kerr said. “It’s not always going to work, but you just want to be able to change up coverages and make people think a little bit. The NBA is such a rhythm league now.”
Joe Viray of Golden State of Mind shared video of the triangle-and-two setup.
Durant finished 6-of-19 from the floor for 19 points while Harden went 6-of-13 from the field for 24 points. Kerr also commended Wiggins for taking the brunt of the Harden responsibilities on defense and Green for matching up against Durant.
“Can’t do a better job defensively than what Draymond did tonight,” Kerr said.
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Green played it cool after the game, saying he had a “decent” night and deferring to his fellow Dubs for their help. But Draymond admitted he loved the challenge of going against Durant, his former title-winning teammate.
“I wanted that challenge,” Green said. “No. 1, that’s my brother. It’s always fun. You always want the challenge of playing against the best.”
Curry, who scored 37 points, said Green’s impact on the game remains immense.
“Look at our defensive rating,” Curry said. “That says it all right there. He’s the catalyst for our identity on that end of the floor. The sense of pride in that is how you win basketball games.”
The Warriors lead the league with a 98.9 defensive rating, according to NBA.com. Pair that with the league’s top scoring offense (115.2 points per game) and it’s no wonder why Golden State is atop the league standings with a 12-2 record.
Haters will point out Irving’s absence Tuesday for the Nets, along with sharpshooter Joe Harris, who missed the game with an ankle. The Warriors keep on beating who’s in front of them, though, and their two losses have come by a combined seven points, including one in overtime.
Golden State is staying grounded despite the early-season success.
“We still got a lot to prove,” Curry said.
