"That was the best defensive game, or defensive 48 minutes that we've competed against all year long."
-Gregg Popovich on #Warriors in Game 1 pic.twitter.com/Ed12bkfohu
— KNBR (@KNBR) April 17, 2018
OAKLAND — Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has identified two key areas that could largely determine Golden State’s success against San Antonio in the opening round: playing well defensively and limiting turnovers.
The Warriors clicked on all cylinders in Game 1, routing the Spurs 113-92. Golden State’s defense mirrored its smothering nature from past championships. Andre Iguodala started the game in place of Quinn Cook to add defensive length and versatility, allowing Golden State to switch screens without suffering from mismatches.
The Warriors held the Spurs to 40 percent field goal shooting in Game 1. Golden State set the tone early, furiously rotating, doubling Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge in the low post, and using active hands to force turnovers. In the first quarter, the Spurs scored only 17 points, had five turnovers, and shot 35 percent from the floor.
From that point on, the game was played at arm’s length, and the Warriors dictated the game’s pace.
“That was the most stifling defense we faced all year long,” Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said Monday evening. “That was the best defensive, 48 minutes that we have competed against all year long. That length and athleticism really put us in a hole. I think we played back on our heels a bit. I think it stunned us. I think it took away some of our aggressiveness.”
This season, the Warriors ranked No. 9 in the NBA in defensive rating, which computes points allowed per possession, after finishing in the top-3 during each of the previous four seasons. Kerr has lamented the team’s poor defense after recent losses. After Saturday’s win, he called Golden State’s defense in the past month ‘subpar.’
Part of the playoff intrigue is monitoring coaching adjustments on a game-by-game basis.
Kerr started Iguodala to add defense to the starting unit. So, ahead of Game 2, Popovich has decided to start Rudy Gay over Kyle Anderson to add scoring Monday night.
“Our message really was that we have got to have more of an attitude on the court, and handle that defense a lot better than we did, basically,” Popovich said. “Shooting better would be nice, too.”
Despite Golden State’s convincing opening win, Kerr was unhappy with his team’s offensive sloppiness, particularly in transition. Golden State finished with 15 turnovers and only six fast-break points. The Warriors led all teams in the regular season with 19.1 fast-break points per game.
“I thought we got very careless with the ball in transition,” Kerr said before Game 2 Monday night. “(There were) a couple home run plays that were totally unnecessary. It felt like we were kind of going for the jugular.”
The most common complaint surrounding the Warriors, a team with so few weaknesses, throughout recent seasons has identified the team’s occasional carelessness with the ball. Sometimes, overly creative passing and rapid ball movement catch up to Golden State. Their 15.4 turnovers per game were the fifth-most in the NBA this regular season.
“I am interested in our ball security,” Kerr said. “To me, that’s what this series is about, is our defense, which we have to finish off with a rebound, and then taking care of the ball on the other end. If we can do those things and keep the possession battle even, then I like our chances.”