The Golden State Warriors have been one of the best teams in the NBA on defense, and according to Gary Payton II, it is largely because of Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.
“It's amazing to have two defensive anchors him (Iguodala) and Draymond on the same team,” Payton II told ClutchPoints. “Everybody's really sitting down and getting after it, but to have those two guys, as defensive leaders, especially when it comes down to crunch time in April, it's gonna be huge.”
Between Green and Iguodala, they have accumulated eight All-Defensive team selections, one Defensive Player of the Year award, over 2500 steals, more than 1300 blocks, and a ton of plays that helped their team win big games and even championships.
Click below to listen to the newest episode of the Warriors' Multiverse podcast
The importance of defense is somewhat a lost art in basketball, but not for Gary Payton II and the Warriors. They know they're in the position they are in today because of the way the group can suffocate opposing teams on that end of the floor.
Andre Iguodala won Finals MVP after the Warriors' first championship all because of the defense he played on LeBron James. Since that series, the Dubs have always made defense a priority, and this 2021-22 team has the potential to be their best defensive team ever.
The Warriors are stacked with players who are capable of making an All-Defensive team, but because of playing time, Draymond Green is the only one likely to make the final cut. All players want individual accolades, but that's not why Golden State plays so hard on that end of the floor: the real reason is that they want to win an NBA championship.
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