Though their sublime offense typically grabs the headlines, the Golden State Warriors’ defense has been among the best in the NBA since Mark Jackson took over as head coach in 2011. They hardly resembled that on Tuesday night, giving up 129 points in a season-opening loss at Oracle Arena.
ESPN basketball analyst Tim Legler joined the Audible on Wednesday morning, and said the Warriors attitude and lack of fight on the defensive end was the difference in the game.
“The biggest most glaring issue I saw with the Warriors last night was their lack of defensive resistance,” Legler said. “They were getting attacked off the dribble all over the floor and they were getting beat up on the glass. There was very little physicality about their team last night and it really jumped out to me because the last couple of years, even though they’ve been a jump shooting team, a three point shooting team and the offense is what’s wow’d you, they’ve been a very good defensive team.”
Legler said he is especially concerned with the Warriors’ ability to replace center Andrew Bogut, and everything he brought to the table as a defensive force and rim protector.
“Zaza Pachulia has been a veteran in this league a long time and he definitely serves a purpose and has been on good teams,” Legler continued. “He is nowhere near the defensive presence Andrew Bogut is – he is just not. You had two guys back there, and both were rim protectors and Bogut was a guy that was just constantly in the way. He just knows how to clog the lane, he just knows how to be an irritant, in addition to that he’s a phenomenal last line of defense rim protector and he’s also got a role in the offense because he’s such a good passer.
Listen to the full interview below.