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OKLAHOMA CITY – For much of the season, the Warriors struggled to find a defensive identity as they battled the rigors of winning a third consecutive NBA title.
The losses have persisted in recent matches. They were marked by a home win with more than 115 points per game and a loss to the Phoenix Suns, the worst team in the Western Conference, less than a week ago.
Now, after a win on Wednesday night in Houston, the Warriors seem to have found their baggage of championship tricks, producing their best defensive performance of the season in Saturday's decisive win over the Thunder.
"100%," said Warriors forward Draymond Green, who finished with a nine-point record, eight rebounds and six assists in the 110-88 win. "Everyone's defensive performance, everyone was stuck in that side of the ball, it was really good to make an effort.
In a performance that the Warriors have apparently been waiting for, the team has dominated Oklahoma City. Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, mostly guarded by Klay Thompson, shot only 2 of 16, and Paul George, an NBA MVA contender, only managed 9 of his 25 shots, a high point in the game. The Thunder missed 10 of its first 13 shots as the Warriors beat them to only 32.3% of the field.
Defensive production is only the last positive sign for a ranked 14th unit in the league. In the first half of Wednesday's win over the Rockets, the Warriors limited Houston to just 26.7% of their shots over the 3-point range.
This season, the Warriors award 111.8 points per game, allowing their opponents to shoot 35% at the distance of 3 points. However, in the last two games, they have limited their opponents to 96 points and 29% beyond the arc, posting a defensive score of 98.5.
The source of their improved game can be attributed to the 115-111 loss to the Suns, who rank at the bottom of the league in all offensive categories, with the exception of the Warriors. Since the loss, which has brought Golden State to 4-5 since the All-Star break, many team members may experience a change in behavior.
"Everyone has been locked up," said Green. "You see a different fire in the eyes of the coaches, a different concentration in their eyes, you see a different concentration and fires in the eyes of our player, and that's important."
Warrior coach Steve Kerr added, "The defeat against Phoenix has opened our eyes a little, and the guys have felt threatened on the road."
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Last season, Golden State went 7-10 to close the season with an embarrassing 119-79 loss to Utah. Four days later, the Warriors became the best defensive unit among the playoff teams on the road for a second consecutive title.
If a team knows how to find additional equipment, it is this iteration of the Warriors. And the way they see things, is the most propitious time to bring the necessary defensive effort to claim three rounds.
"It happens at the right time," Green said. "Waiting for this team to do it in match 10 or 20 is what you want, but sometimes it does not happen that way, but as long as we continue to reinforce the efforts we've deployed tonight, that's all you can ask for. "
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