Warriors ignore Russell Westbrook, execute another game plan in blowout of Clippers

May 03, 2024

SAN FRANCISCO — Let’s first flash back a couple of weeks. The Warriors faced the Clippers in Los Angeles the last game before the All-Star break. That’s the night they gave up 134 points and Steve Kerr and Draymond Green ripped their collective defensive effort for the entire season.

Here’s a late third-quarter glimpse. Bones Hyland, the Clippers’ new slippery scorer, had Ty Jerome in an isolation setting. The Warriors’ largest defensive issue has been at the point of attack. They’ve been getting blown past much of the season. Hyland zips right by Jerome and glides in for a layup before JaMychal Green can rotate over in help.

Fast forward to Thursday night. Jerome is still at a disadvantage when trying to contain Hyland in space. Nothing between the two has changed.

But watch this early fourth-quarter possession. Hyland is operating against Jerome on the right wing. He appears to have a step on him with a lefty dribble. But Hyland abruptly stops his drive. The defensive scheme has changed. Draymond Green is sitting behind the play, directly in the paint, waiting in Hyland’s direct path.

That forces Hyland to stop and pass it over to Russell Westbrook, who Green is ignoring. Westbrook misses a 3. The Clippers get an offensive rebound. Westbrook misses another 3.

On the Clippers front, this result — a 115-91 dominant Warriors win — should only amp up the concern level about the choice to sign Westbrook. He was the focal point of Golden State’s defensive strategy. They had Green drop off him deep into the paint, play free safety and beg Westbrook to beat them with jumpers. He couldn’t.

On the Warriors’ front, this is the latest in an encouraging string of defensive performances. During this four-game win streak without Steph Curry or Andrew Wiggins, they’ve held the Rockets, Timberwolves, Blazers and Clippers to 101, 104, 105 and 91 points, a stingy defensive rating of 100.0, easily the best in the league during this mini stretch.

That includes two straight games of exotic game planning and focused execution. Against the Blazers, they blitzed Damian Lillard on high screens and even deployed a box-and-1. Against the Clippers, they not only sagged off Westbrook but also navigated well within the other areas of emphasis.

“It wasn’t just sagging off of Russ,” Green said. “Everyone was locked in on their coverage. If there was a top lock with Paul George, Donte (DiVincenzo) was in the top lock. Klay (Thompson) was all over Kawhi (Leonard). (Jonathan Kuminga) came in and he was all over both when he guarded each of those guys. It was a total team effort.”

This possession is a perfect example. Westbrook is bringing the ball up the court. Green is dropped way back into the paint. Kevon Looney, guarding Mason Plumlee, another non-shooting threat, is also in capable help position behind the play.

That allows DiVincenzo to top-lock Paul George, taking away his path to the perimeter without fear of getting beat on a pass over the top. Westbrook still tries it and throws the ball into the crowd.

The Warriors also peppered in some zone defense that was effective and switched up the Westbrook assignment. Thompson is his nearest defender on this particular possession. He stays detached and finds himself a rebound.

This is one of Thompson’s 11 rebounds, the first time since 2017 he’s had double-digit rebounds in a game. Eleven is his regular-season career high. But he was quick to point out after the game that he had 14 in a playoff game against the Spurs in 2013. Rebounding has been an added emphasis of Thompson’s exiting the deadline. It’s another example of an increasingly focused Warriors team that is now three games over .500 for the first time this season.

But so much of Thursday’s game plan was Green-related. While watching tape on Green’s charged-up defensive performance against the Blazers, Kerr texted Green to let him know of the Westbrook-related game plan that they were deploying against the Clippers.

“We went through it this morning at shootaround to try to get everyone to grasp the concept,” Green said. “It’s very easy when a guy is sagging off and (the open guy) catches it, it’s easy to rotate to him. We didn’t want to do that.”

“Draymond, as a center fielder, is, I think, best in the league,” Kerr said. “I mean, nobody can kind of muck up the lane like he can and just read what’s happening, help everywhere needs to help, and then come in and rebound.”

Here is a first-quarter possession. Leonard uses a high screen to get past Thompson. Looney picks him up, but Green is looming. That lures Kawhi into passing to an open Westbrook in the corner instead of shooting the contested layup. Westbrook misses. Green rebounds.

The win moved the Warriors into sole possession of the fifth seed. They’re a game up on the Clippers and Mavericks. They get the Pelicans on Friday night with a chance to complete a 5-0 homestand before Curry is likely to rejoin the lineup Sunday at the Lakers. This is the high point of the season and it is being done because of an increased level of focus, effort and game planning on the defensive end.

“We’re starting to get some momentum,” Kerr said.

“You’re taught in basketball, you’re open, take the shot. But if you’re open every play, you kind of start questioning yourself.”

Draymond Green on the Warriors’ sagging defensive scheme against Russell Westbrook and the Clippers 🗣️pic.twitter.com/r73FDmQb0L

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 3, 2023

(Photo of Jordan Poole celebrating in front of the Warriors bench Thursday: Kelley L Cox / USA Today)

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