OAKLAND, Calif. — Head coach Steve Kerr likes to preach that Golden State's prolific offense is largely a byproduct of defensive intensity, that forcing stops at one end of the floor makes for easier scoring at the other. From one action, a natural reaction.
Wherever Kerr—out while seeking treatment for health issues related to his back surgery from more than 18 months ago—was watching his team's Game 1 drubbing of the Utah Jazz, he must've been mighty pleased with Draymond Green once again forcing his defensive will on players both small and big.
Green did it all against the Jazz, limiting Rudy Gobert—his top rival for this season's Defensive Player of the Year Award—to just seven shot attempts in just under 31 minutes and showing that his defense alone can be the kind of catalyst that propels the Warriors through against playoff competition.