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In an effort to bring our fans closer to the action on the court, the Warriors and MOCAP Analytics have teamed up to produce an ongoing analytical blog series, featuring insights and analyses not previously made available to the public.
We’ve all heard that “defense wins championships”, but also that “great offense beats great defense.” So, which one is it? If the apparent contradiction makes you scratch your head, don’t worry, we’re here to help. At the very center of these axioms is a false distinction between the two sides of the court. While both are important, it’s the interplay between defense and offense that is the key to success.
Due to a recent tradition of uptempo offenses, fans have come to know the Warriors as a trigger-happy group that lights up the scoreboard. While that reputation still applies, although to lesser of a degree, what distinguishes this year's team from others of recent memory is their success on the other end of the floor. This season, the Warriors’ defensive schemes and matchups have added a unique ability to squeeze the floor defensively and suffocate teams (the Warriors are currently the third-best defensive team in the league with a defensive rating of 99.4). Consequently, opponents are often forced into poor decisions that ultimately lead to great offensive looks for Golden State.
Check out MOCAP’s interactive D2O (Defense-to-Offense) visualization that connects uninterrupted, sequential defensive and offensive plays, offering a choose-an-adventure game of sorts. For this particular visualization, we’ve spotlighted Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson, two elite wing defenders that ignite Golden State’s offense. Here’s how the game works: on the left, select a defensive role for Thompson or Iguodala (e.g. ball screen defender). In the middle, choose the method by which the Warriors get into their offense (e.g. transition) following that defensive play. Finally, on the right, select Golden State’s offensive play (e.g., pull up 3). The scoreboard tallies the points allowed by Golden State on the defensive end along with points scored on the offensive end for the selected sequence of plays. Click around, play with various combinations, and see how the scoreboard and transition rate change for each selection.
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