When the Golden State Warriors first started their run of hanging banners a decade ago, all eyes were on their offense, and understandably so. Steph Curry was single-handedly changing the sport of basketball in front of our eyes and Klay Thompson — the second-best shooter on his own team — was making a strong case for being the second-best shooter ever, too. Steve Kerr’s motion offense was breaking NBA defenses, and when they added Kevin Durant to the mix, well ... it really felt like a video game at times.
But while the offense got so much credit, the defense — led by Draymond Green and some excellent schemes — was quietly just as impactful.