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Which team in NBA history would do the best job defending the 2017 Warriors?

For teams from different eras, they will have an offseason to adjust to 2017 rules, strategy, etc.

Disregard offense (or assume any team you pick will have equal offenses).

04 pistons or 97 bulls. Pistons d was better but i lean bulls because of all the wing defenders.
Durant - rodman - sheed
Klay - pippen - prince
Curry - jordan/harper - billups

Assuming their defense would translate, I love 1964 Celtics for that:

KC Jones chasing down Curry
Hondo chasing down Klay
Sanders slowing down KD
Russell doing Russell things

This team didn't rely on size or rim protection only. They were quick, agressive and versatile.

Of course we don't know how they'd adapt, but I like their size, athleticism and dedication.

96 Bulls

Current bucks when they drop the drop-scheme. Giannis is the optimal small counter really. Was thinking AD/2020 Lakers, but they didn't really have great perimiter defenders. Gasol and slow Kawhi were not well-suited for defending the Warriors as we already saw. With some translation magic, 04 Pistons from the 2000's, and Pippen's Bulls with Pippen-anchored Bulls with Pippen being able to provide big-man impact(Like lebron managed)vs the small-ball Dubs

70sFan wrote:Assuming their defense would translate, I love 1964 Celtics for that:

KC Jones chasing down Curry
Hondo chasing down Klay
Sanders slowing down KD
Russell doing Russell things

This team didn't rely on size or rim protection only. They were quick, agressive and versatile.

Of course we don't know how they'd adapt, but I like their size, athleticism and dedication.

I picked the same team. For key possessions, I could see sticking Russell on KD. Heinsohn wasn't known for his defense, but he could largely be "hidden" by defending Draymond or Zaza, neither of whom were expected to be big scorers.

2005-2007 Spurs + peak Kawhi


I couldn’t think of an actual team

13 Heat.

They played kind of an inferior strategy (as we have later discovered) of blitzing and hard showing too much and just relying on their athleticism and versatile defenders to force chaos and turnovers but that's the kind of personal/ switchability that you need to not get totally **** by KD (Bron, Battier and Wade aren't completely dead in ISO against KD). And you have Lebron who has been on the teams that have been able to best defend Curry because of his ability to switch the Draymond/ Curry pick and roll. Bosh being able to switch out as well is helpful.

Also you kind of need Lebron for his ability to bum hunt Curry on offense to wear him down. It's why 4 Finals against Lebron and Curry didn't win Finals MVP in any of them.

It would have to be a team with great perimeter defenders, and a big(s) who can do more than just protect the paint. Some mentions.

1996 Bulls - It’s hard to find a stronger defensive perimeter duo than Pippen/Jordan and it would be funny to see Rodman and Green push each other around.

2014 Spurs - I mean just look at what they did to OKC and Miami’s offense in the playoffs, Kawhi/Manu/Green is a tough enough line of defense on the perimeter, then add Duncan/Diaw/Splitter backing them up. They didn’t have a single negative defender getting major minutes, even Parker was more or less average with an ability to play solid team defense in a scheme like that.

2010 Boston Celtics - Most will wonder why them over 2008, but go look at how great their performance on d was in the playoffs, they severely limited if not outright shut down the Cavs, Magic and Laker’s offense at times. The team was just loaded and balanced on defense, though just as any other team here they’d need a serious preparation.

2012 Miami Heat - If it’s strictly about defense, then 2012 is better than 2013, and I like Wade and Battie both being a year younger. A small ball high pressure trapping scheme with Lebron/Wade/Battie/Chalmers, is arguably as good as you’ll get trying to slow the Warriors down.

2018 Rockets: Considering what they were able to do to the 2018 Warriors in some of that series, they definitely deserve a mention at the very least.

As great as some others like the 04 Pistons, 99 Spurs, one of the 90s Knicks teams were, I’m not sure they were strong enough on the perimeter to put up a good fight in stopping Curry/Durant/Klay.

OhayoKD wrote:Current bucks when they drop the drop-scheme. Giannis is the optimal small counter really. Was thinking AD/2020 Lakers, but they didn't really have great perimiter defenders. Gasol and slow Kawhi were not well-suited for defending the Warriors as we already saw. With some translation magic, 04 Pistons from the 2000's, and Pippen's Bulls with Pippen-anchored Bulls with Pippen being able to provide big-man impact(Like lebron managed)vs the small-ball Dubs

Yeah, I think either this team with their absolute best defensive lineup on the floor or the ’21 title team with the Jrue/Khris/Tucker/Giannis at the 5 switching lineup could work as well as most teams. Which obviously still wouldn’t be enough, but still lol.

JLei wrote:13 Heat.

They played kind of an inferior strategy (as we have later discovered) of blitzing and hard showing too much and just relying on their athleticism and versatile defenders to force chaos and turnovers but that's the kind of personal/ switchability that you need to not get totally **** by KD (Bron, Battier and Wade aren't completely dead in ISO against KD). And you have Lebron who has been on the teams that have been able to best defend Curry because of his ability to switch the Draymond/ Curry pick and roll. Bosh being able to switch out as well is helpful.

Also you kind of need Lebron for his ability to bum hunt Curry on offense to wear him down. It's why 4 Finals against Lebron and Curry didn't win Finals MVP in any of them.

My problem with this though is that Spoelstra really didn't seem capable of coaching a switching scheme, and that was a major criticism of them a year later vs the 2014 Spurs. He even went out of his way to stay that he was gonna double down on his flying death machine identity even when it got played out. Maybe the Heat's collective athleticism makes up for it but at some point the wear and tear of playing such a suboptimal scheme against the Warriors would undo them and Spoelsta seemed pretty adamant about playing that style.

OhayoKD wrote:Current bucks when they drop the drop-scheme. Giannis is the optimal small counter really. Was thinking AD/2020 Lakers, but they didn't really have great perimiter defenders. Gasol and slow Kawhi were not well-suited for defending the Warriors as we already saw. With some translation magic, 04 Pistons from the 2000's, and Pippen's Bulls with Pippen-anchored Bulls with Pippen being able to provide big-man impact(Like lebron managed)vs the small-ball Dubs

I was looking to see if any one had mentioned the 2020 Lakers, since altogether, I think they match up pretty well. Regarding not having great perimeter defenders, to be more specific, I think they were weak to players like Kawhi or Butler, who were too strong and tall for most of LA's lineup. Neither Curry nor Klay is that type of player. As for KD, a combination of AD and LeBron is better than what many teams could put together. It also helps that they have two players who can really take advantage of defending (i.e. helping off) a lesser shooter like Draymond. I'm not sure if they would be the best team to defend the '17 Warriors, but I believe they should be high on the list.

Having not followed the Bucks too closely, mind elaborating on their match up?

Mid-90s Sonics with Payton, Kemp, Schrempf and co.

97 Bulls. Rodman would agitate Draymond and get under his skin, not the other way around. Draymond’s emotions would get the best of him and end up hurting his team. Pippen on KD would be effective. Curry wouldn’t be able to look Jordan in the eye, same with KD. Defensively they wouldn’t be able to stop MJ. Bulls would simply be too ferocious and gritty over a 7 game series.

Heej wrote:

JLei wrote:13 Heat.

They played kind of an inferior strategy (as we have later discovered) of blitzing and hard showing too much and just relying on their athleticism and versatile defenders to force chaos and turnovers but that's the kind of personal/ switchability that you need to not get totally **** by KD (Bron, Battier and Wade aren't completely dead in ISO against KD). And you have Lebron who has been on the teams that have been able to best defend Curry because of his ability to switch the Draymond/ Curry pick and roll. Bosh being able to switch out as well is helpful.

Also you kind of need Lebron for his ability to bum hunt Curry on offense to wear him down. It's why 4 Finals against Lebron and Curry didn't win Finals MVP in any of them.

My problem with this though is that Spoelstra really didn't seem capable of coaching a switching scheme, and that was a major criticism of them a year later vs the 2014 Spurs. He even went out of his way to stay that he was gonna double down on his flying death machine identity even when it got played out. Maybe the Heat's collective athleticism makes up for it but at some point the wear and tear of playing such a suboptimal scheme against the Warriors would undo them and Spoelsta seemed pretty adamant about playing that style.

I guess point in history yah they'd still run out of gas/ eventually get smoked. But I meant mostly in terms of players and a coach equipped with modern ideals they'd be best suited. Very switchable, good size across the board, crazy athleticism and peak defensive Lebron. But if they used their preferred strategy they would lose.

Blackmill wrote:

OhayoKD wrote:Current bucks when they drop the drop-scheme. Giannis is the optimal small counter really. Was thinking AD/2020 Lakers, but they didn't really have great perimiter defenders. Gasol and slow Kawhi were not well-suited for defending the Warriors as we already saw. With some translation magic, 04 Pistons from the 2000's, and Pippen's Bulls with Pippen-anchored Bulls with Pippen being able to provide big-man impact(Like lebron managed)vs the small-ball Dubs

I was looking to see if any one had mentioned the 2020 Lakers, since altogether, I think they match up pretty well. Regarding not having great perimeter defenders, to be more specific, I think they were weak to players like Kawhi or Butler, who were too strong and tall for most of LA's lineup. Neither Curry nor Klay is that type of player. As for KD, a combination of AD and LeBron is better than what many teams could put together. It also helps that they have two players who can really take advantage of defending (i.e. helping off) a lesser shooter like Draymond. I'm not sure if they would be the best team to defend the '17 Warriors, but I believe they should be high on the list.

Having not followed the Bucks too closely, mind elaborating on their match up?

Basically see Giannis(defensively) as a suped up variant of 2015/2016 Lebron(though there is a defecit in terms of ochrestration/play0-calling to consider) and then you scrap the two negatives, get a great guard defender in jrue, a bunch of perimiter trees who can contest, and PJ tucker who can do something to KD I guess. That being said, this all assumes Bud hones in on durant instead of levring him in single coverage. At least pre-brooklyn KD had a pretty big problem dealing with extra help. Letting him cook 1 v 1 would be suicidal

96 Bulls small ball lineup would be Rodman, Kukoc, Pippen, Jordan, and Harper. Still long and athletic. Lots of switching and wouldn't miss much of a beat.

93-97 sonics would be a fun matchup. Kemp, Gill/Hawkins, Detlef and Payton vs Draymond, Durant, Klay, and Steph.

Perhaps a healthy 2022 Celtics are an answer here? Part of me questions using older teams, its just too big of an adjustment to project I think.

RCM88x wrote:Perhaps a healthy 2022 Celtics are an answer here? Part of me questions using older teams, its just too big of an adjustment to project I think.

I feel like some the older teams have great personnel for it though.

Like I think 04 Pistons have a bunch of long switchy defenders and Ben Wallace in the middle who was both an elite rim protector and super quick and mobile.

I mean obviously they’d need to make some strategic adjustments, but the players they have seem more than capable of it.

Now offense is a different question.

A team with Moses or Shaq. I wouldn't try to directly slow down GSW's eFG%, as that is close to impossible. Instead, I would try to win tov differential, rebounding, and FTs while limiting GSW's transition opportunities. I believe a way to do this would be to dominate them inside on offense with o-boards, stoppages of play through fouls, and high fg% shots in the paint so GSW needs to take the ball out.

Looking at the teams at my disposable, I would take the 1983 Sixers. Moses punishes inside, and I have three premier perimeter defenders flying around in Dr. J, Bobby Jones, and Mo Cheeks.