February 4th 2024.
Rest in peace to defense in the NBA. It's almost becoming a regular occurrence for teams to score over 130 points in a game. Even a stellar performance from the legendary Steph Curry couldn't secure a win for the Warriors against the Atlanta Hawks. As Sports Illustrated reported, Curry became just the tenth player in NBA history to score 60 points in a game twice, but he would have traded it for a victory. This game perfectly sums up the Warriors' season so far – despite having one of the greatest players of all time, they struggle to get enough stops on defense to win games.
In a February 2023 article for The Guardian, Oren Weisfield questioned the limits of this offensive explosion in the NBA. It's no longer a big deal when players score 70 or 71 points in a game, and fans are becoming desensitized to these high-scoring games. While the league and Commissioner Adam Silver may argue that offense brings in more viewers and creates a better product, coaches and players are starting to voice concerns about the lack of defense in the NBA. Even Steve Kerr, head coach of the Warriors, admits that the rules have given too much advantage to the offensive player, making it difficult for teams to play defense.
Former player and current Portland Trailblazers coach Chauncey Billups agrees with Kerr, stating that the rules make it nearly impossible to play physical defense without committing a foul. He believes that the game is now designed for the offense to thrive. This sentiment is echoed by Paul George, who is known as one of the best defenders in the league. On his podcast, he expresses his frustration with how hand-checking is now considered a foul, making it harder for defenders to do their job. He also notes that the game has changed drastically in terms of pace and style, with more emphasis on three-point shooting.
It's clear that defense is becoming a lost art in the NBA, with the league favoring high-scoring games and offensive players. The result is games like the Hawks-Warriors matchup, where the final score was 134-141. While these games may be entertaining for some, others, like former player Paul Pierce, long for the days when defense was still valued in the league. It remains to be seen if the NBA will make any changes to address this issue, but for now, it seems like the offensive explosion will continue.
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