3 reasons why the Golden State Warriors are currently the best defensive team in the NBA

The Golden State Warriors are 7-1 and leading the Western Conference table in the ongoing 2021-22 NBA season. They are controlling games offensively and defensively. It appears the Golden State Warriors are back in their stride, and when Klay Thompson returns, the good play on both ends of the floor should increase.

Thompson is one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA, and as he gets it all back and returns in all earnest, how good defensively can the Golden State Warriors become?

2021-22

The Golden State Warriors defensive rating was 5th last season. Rebounding at a 16% higher clip than last year, the Dubs are leading the season in pulling down 40 boards per game. They are also 5th in steals with 9.7 per game. The scrambling and gathering of steals is what is most noticeable. Holding NBA teams below 100 points in any era was a feat, and now the Dubs are doing it consistently.

The G League

Gary Payton II was released and could have signed with anyone, yet signed a deal with the Dubs that isn't guaranteed until January in hopes of latching on and creating something special. He is athletic, uses his athleticism to guard the opposition with passion and is clever at doing so. Payton II, Nemanja Bjelica and Damion Lee developed with the Santa Cruz Warriors, and that chemistry through the experience of playing in the minor leagues has galvanized the Warriors' second unit in striking fashion.

#3 Golden State Warriors' defensive ratings

The addition of Gary Payton II has been almost magical to the Golden State Warriors defensive mindset. Something has clicked. When paired with Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green, Payton II is flying all over the place, causing havoc on offenses just like his Hall of Fame dad, Gary Payton did.

Iguodala's defensive rating is 85.6. Payton II has an 87 rating. Bjelica is 89.4. Otto Porter Jr. is 93.4. Jordan Poole is 94. Draymond Green is 97.5. Kevin Looney is 97.8. Juan Toscano-Anderson has a 98.1 rating. Damion Lee is 98.4. Andrew Wiggins has a 98.4 as well.

The shock in all of this is Steph Curry's rating is an unexpected 98.5. By contrast, Jimmy Butler's defensive rating is 98.4. Something is going on in the city by the bay, and the Warriors team defensive rating is 97.8 -- which is the lowest since the Detroit Pistons in 2004. Crazy.

#2 Drop coverage

When teams call for pick-and-roll on offense, the Golden State Warriors drop back into coverage depending on who is defending the pick-and-roll. A lesser defender drops back, dares teams to shoot the three, and ball handlers are more tempted to drive through the drop coverage instead of pulling up for the three. It will be interesting when the Dubs play much better teams, yet the way they shut down the Charlotte Hornets on November 3, shows their attention to drop coverage defense is right and exact.

#1 Communication

Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors are allowing 97.8 points per 100 possessions, which tops the NBA. When the Dubs shut down the Hornets late, the Chase Center crowd was into it as if they were still in Oracle. They booed former Warriors forward Kelly Oubre every time he touched the ball and he went scoreless. Going scoreless in a revenge game is not a good look, and as it looks currently, the Golden State Warriors seem to be communicating on the floor, in the locker room and on the bench about prioritizing defensive play.

It almost seems like a competition from within, and if that is so, the Dubs are having fun with it. This is all being done without Klay Thompson, and when he returns, surely he'll fall into this reinvention and the well-run engine that is the Golden State Warriors defense, will get even better.