If not for his incredible contributions, for his hilarious story about getting hassled by police at the Dubs' own arena when he was subbing for Kerr, with Pop watching from the Spurs bus right behind him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbr1h0HOBKc
OK, so the whole discussion of Mike Brown and his defensive contributions led me down a YT rabbit hole of great videos dissecting last seasons' defense. I had a great time watching/re-watching some of these. I figured I'd go ahead and share.
Thinking Basketball: The Warriors defense is on another level! (12/13/21)
I love how his second point about ball denial. It's something I haven't seen talked about elsewhere. He showed multiple instances of denying the ball to Tatum by something akin to a perimeter seal. It's so different from how they denied the ball to Luka in the previous video. And its so specifically gameplanned to JT and all the Dubs defenders are able to adjust so seamlessly.
And of course, our own Eric Apricot:
Dub Nation HQ: Explain One Play: Warriors zone defense shape shifts, shuts down the Thunder (11/3/21)
3:48: Dre's hand twirl. I wonder if anyone's made an inventory of all the different hand signals' the Dubs used last year. I remember Triangle was for triangle & 2, and there was another one, like fist in the air for a different defensive formation (I think it was written about during the Jazz series), and this twirl for 2-3 zone. That would be a great retrospective vid, EA!
Dub Nation HQ: Explain One Play: Warriors #1 Defense with Bjelica, GP2, and Dray use Drop to clamp LaMelo Hornets (11/5/21)
9:29 The fact that Looney recovered for a block after so much miscommunication is effin' amazing. Watching Loon's amazing perimeter defense, I really worry that J-Dub just won't be able to fill his shoes in that regard. He'll have to be more of a drop-rim protector, but that means that the rest of the Dubs have to be more aggressive with rotations for him when he gets beat more regularly on the perimeter. Hopefully his rim protection on the defensive side will more than offset this.
12:15 WTF does Steph yell after the dance?
Dub Nation HQ: Explain: Steph Curry and Warriors Defense make adjustments, blow out Celtics in NBA Finals Game 2
5:15: Great example of a formation that looks like man, but ends up as box & 1 when OPJ refuses to follow GWill.
8:06: Another great example of Tatum ball denial.
11:55: I never noticed how Steph essentially calls JP's #, saying you finish off the quarter. We all know how the end of quarters is Steph's time to handle. Well, he ceded to JP, and of course, JP nails it not once, but twice. I wonder if JP tries/makes the buzzer-beater if Steph doesn't give tell him the previous possession is his to run.
------ Closing Thoughts ------
It's amazing to watch some of the Dubs' defensive rotations. The constant ability of all the defenders across the board to rotate intuitively, both anticipating and reacting to offensive motion and scheme regardless of whether they're in man or zone is absolutely mind-blowing.
After watching all of these, I struggle to make sense of the Dubs' first quarter blues this year. We all know how amazing their Q3's are, but they were often needed as the Dubs' early Q1's we're often awful. Maybe I have selective memory, but I remember a lot of times where the Dubs' seem slow in Q1 and the opponent has a strong scoring run to open the game. These defensive schemes seem like they would prevent that, as they are definitely tailored to the offensive personnel for the team they're facing (at least in the playoffs and for the Nets).
One of the things watching so many videos from the early season run makes apparent to me is how intelligent the bench rotations were even early in the season. OPJ, GP2, and Bjeli were new to the org, but they fit right in. JTA and DLee, but really, JTA, were vets in the system and could help direct the new guys and the rooks on where to go and how to rotate. That makes me wonder about this years' group. Gone are all the players I mentioned above. Instead, JW, MM and JK are getting promoted into main rotation minutes, and DDV and JMG need to learn the system anew. Will DDV and JMG be able to fit in as seamlessly as OPJ, GP2, and Bjeli? It feels like one of the reasons the Dubs' defense coalesced so quickly last year was because of all the on-court coaching by all the vets like JTA/DLee/Dre on top of what Steph and Dray bring. Who will play that role this season? Especially if Dre isn't on the roster, to boot? We know that most coaches and media expect MM to fit in very well into the rotations. But can he also be vocal enough to teach the new guys and the rooks and JK and JW when they flub? Or are the added minutes from Klay, plus another years' maturation from Wiggs and JP3 be enough to fill that void? I think we know that there are two players, especially who need to demonstrate massive improvement in their ability to play team defense: JFK and J-Dub. Whether or not those two can become positives or at least net neutrals at that part of the game will be a huge factor in their 'Chip chances next season.
Watching EA's first E1P linked above, I suddenly had a vision of the future. We've all heard how much PBJ loves film by now. We also know all about his BBIQ, and how much influence having a coach as a father has had. I finally understand that JFK won't be Dray's understudy. It will be PBJ. Sure, he'll have to bulk up a bit to be able to defend in the post the way Dray does. And he'll have to heal from his injury to regain his high school top-5 prospect in the nation athleticism so he can have the lateral quickness to defend on the perimeter as well as the post. But I believe he'll have the physical tools. And now I believe he'll have the mental tools to understand the game as intuitively as Dray does. To anticipate offensive shifts as intuitively as Dray does. Buying a downtown warehouse loft in Baldwin City, baby. Gettin' in while real estate prices are low!
Hey DNHQ creators: EA's vids are every bit as good as those others I linked. It made me wonder about DNHQ. Have you ever done a poll asking how everyone found you guys? Who came over from GSOM? Who found you via E1P YT vids? Who found you via Google search or other Dubs' forums? Who found you via Twitter?
11pm, and down to 81 degrees in the house. So, random thoughts while I wait until we hit the 70s,
Can Draymond pass? Of course, he is one of the best big men passers in the league today. Dray, LeBron, Jokic. But I believe opponents are making a critical mistake when they are guarding Draymond. I mean, when they are NOT guarding Draymond. A defense looks at Draymond and doesn't believe that he is a threat offensively. So they sag, they cheat, they dare him to put that backpack on on hoist a 3. And in so doing, they continue to make a horrible mistake. They just leave him standing there, from high elbow to high elbow, unguarded, tempting him, daring him to make a move offensively. And that entire time, he is free to take his time and cut up the defense with a pinpoint pass for a 3 or a back door layup. Opponents are giving one of the best passers in the game free reign. They give Dray a free pass. They think they have an advantage because they have 5 guys guarding 4. But the Warriors off-ball motion offense can always find a hole in the defense, especially when you consider the group b-ball IQ and years of playing together. If an assist pass doesn't materialize, at worst we get a dribble hand off and move on.
My point is, defenses think they are doing themselves a favor when they sag off of Dray. I believe, in doing so, they are giving one of the best passers in the league a free pass. If you are LeBron or Jokic, you always have your body between the ball and a defender, protecting the ball, as you survey the floor. Then you have to make a pass with a guy draped all over you. Not that Draymond can't make great passes out of defensive pressure, I am just saying, that most of the time, if Dray has the ball anywhere around the perimeter, defenders will sag, and they will dare him to shoot, and in doing so, give him all the room in the world to cut them up.
If I was a coach on another team, playing the Warriors, I would have my defenders putting as much ball pressure on Dray as one would on an elite guard. And the fact that teams don't play this way against Dray is why we are winning 2 more Chips before it's all said and done. Chess. Not checkers. Light years, to Infinity and Beyond.
BTW, so hot we went to a movie theater to get some air conditioning. Saw the DC Comics Super Pets movie. Good show if you got kids, and plenty in there for adults.
I've been an advocate of a small HWFL Hall, but Mike Brown easily passes the small-hall test with flying colors.
He was around for three of the four rings. He was around for 6 of the last 8 seasons, the same 8 seasons that the media has been cawing about the warriors going the the NBA Finals for 6 of the last 8 and winning 4 of the last 8. So, he's been around for 75% of the Dynasty.
The only players or coaches who have been around for more are the vet core (Steph/Klay/Dray/Dre/Loon(?)), vet player/coaches like Liv, and Kerr & Myers (I'm sure there are some other org peeps with lower profiles that have been around, too).
As EA mentioned, he's coached and won key playoff games. He's stepped in admirably as head coach whenever Kerr has needed him.
And most importantly, he is arguably in the top 5 people who contributed to this last championship when considering the weight of their contribution to the 'chip. I think you could argue that the only people who contributed more to this last championship are Steph, Dray, Wiggs, and Steve. And a large part of Dray's and Wigg's contribution, he had a hand in.
He morphed a good defense into an all-time defense. The Dubs started on an incredible 18-2 run where they performed like one of the best defenses of All-Time. Then, come playoff time, the Dubs defense up-leveled insanely during the playoffs. His fingerprints are all over both transformations. Certainly, Dray and Wiggs' individual contributions can't be discounted, but defense is team-wide, from Steph all the way down to the deep bench (Moody & JK during the playoffs). Article after article this season re-counted how creative the defense was, how incredibly smart the reads and adjustments each player who worked within the Dubs' system were. I remember coaches of opposing teams marveling how absurd it was that the Dubs could outright switch complicated defensive schemes without a timeout or play-stoppage. They switched shit up in transition! That was Brown. That was defensive excellence par extraordinaire. And without him, there is no WGBC.
Mike Brown is one of the easiest votes for HWFL yet. Even easier than voting no on Chiozza!
No question. One of the great defensive minds along with Adams and Thibs, and criminally underrated head coach who the Cavs/Lakers threw under the bus for their own horrendous roster management failings.
I grew up in Sac, so Brown and the Brazilian Blur are great pick ups. Brown is in. Especially for his work with the defense this year. He helped get the D to another level this year by adding all the wrinkles, learning how to throw the change-up at offenses.
Speaking of fond memories from Sac, going through a heat wave without air conditioning. It's on our list. Good 88 degrees in the house at 6:30pm. At least the kids aren't bugging us about dinner. I think they are all passed out. Damn. Spent 4 hours in the attic this morning putting in new insulation. Guess that is what it must be like being a Kings fan. Whatever you do, ain't nothing ever works out.
#yes. I must have missed where we were supposed to hash tag even though we’re not on Twitter but I am nothing if not a herd animal.
Selfishly, I hope we can figure out how to continue the defensive level of intensity and performance from this last year. I think this defense punched above its weight, relative to talent level, more than any of the other dynasty years. Super impressive and a credit to Brown.
#YES
#YES
#YES
If not for his incredible contributions, for his hilarious story about getting hassled by police at the Dubs' own arena when he was subbing for Kerr, with Pop watching from the Spurs bus right behind him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbr1h0HOBKc
OK, so the whole discussion of Mike Brown and his defensive contributions led me down a YT rabbit hole of great videos dissecting last seasons' defense. I had a great time watching/re-watching some of these. I figured I'd go ahead and share.
Thinking Basketball: The Warriors defense is on another level! (12/13/21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbNS09Rt4u8
11:29 is hilarious, watching the Kings offense try and figure out what to do on the Dubs' zone.
I also love 14:29, watching the whole triangle and 2 cheat over to the weak side, b/c it's Kevin F'n Durant on Moses Moody.
Thinking Basketball: Why the Warriors are a Different Animal (5/19/2022)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MdwxO17uh0
The play @ 8:37 gives me so much joy: The Steph-Dray telepathy always astounds me.
BBALLBREAKDOWN: Warriors Dominating Because Of... DEFENSE?!? (5/23/22)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zArytln4q2E
This one has both defensive breakdowns and successes.
Drawing the Defense: Why The Warriors Defense Dominates - Three Reasons It's Unique Among Switching Defenses (6/7/22)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY1mgthKOM8
2:14: Klay strength man. God, I love that man!
I love how his second point about ball denial. It's something I haven't seen talked about elsewhere. He showed multiple instances of denying the ball to Tatum by something akin to a perimeter seal. It's so different from how they denied the ball to Luka in the previous video. And its so specifically gameplanned to JT and all the Dubs defenders are able to adjust so seamlessly.
And of course, our own Eric Apricot:
Dub Nation HQ: Explain One Play: Warriors zone defense shape shifts, shuts down the Thunder (11/3/21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENlClmxPmts
3:48: Dre's hand twirl. I wonder if anyone's made an inventory of all the different hand signals' the Dubs used last year. I remember Triangle was for triangle & 2, and there was another one, like fist in the air for a different defensive formation (I think it was written about during the Jazz series), and this twirl for 2-3 zone. That would be a great retrospective vid, EA!
Dub Nation HQ: Explain One Play: Warriors #1 Defense with Bjelica, GP2, and Dray use Drop to clamp LaMelo Hornets (11/5/21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsSXn8aLOKo
3:00: I love the gratuitous Gordon Hayward shade. He's 31. It's not like he's PG3.
11:54: Fucking Steph, man. Way to be a cheerleader.
And to cap off the November trifecta:
Dub Nation HQ: Explain One Play: Warriors Triangle-and-2, Box-and-1 and other exotic defenses against KD and Harden (11/18/21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuaEWd4je1k&t=5s
4:18: Motherfuk'n A, man. Box & 1 with Bjeli on the island! Hilarious.
EA's whole vid is a great primer on the Dubs' different defensive formations, btw.
To the playoffs:
Dub Nation HQ: Explain: Steph Curry uses the LeBron defense against Luka Doncic, plus many more schemes in Game 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4mTHa6-jOQ
9:29 The fact that Looney recovered for a block after so much miscommunication is effin' amazing. Watching Loon's amazing perimeter defense, I really worry that J-Dub just won't be able to fill his shoes in that regard. He'll have to be more of a drop-rim protector, but that means that the rest of the Dubs have to be more aggressive with rotations for him when he gets beat more regularly on the perimeter. Hopefully his rim protection on the defensive side will more than offset this.
12:15 WTF does Steph yell after the dance?
Dub Nation HQ: Explain: Steph Curry and Warriors Defense make adjustments, blow out Celtics in NBA Finals Game 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi3cs1dzPBw
5:15: Great example of a formation that looks like man, but ends up as box & 1 when OPJ refuses to follow GWill.
8:06: Another great example of Tatum ball denial.
11:55: I never noticed how Steph essentially calls JP's #, saying you finish off the quarter. We all know how the end of quarters is Steph's time to handle. Well, he ceded to JP, and of course, JP nails it not once, but twice. I wonder if JP tries/makes the buzzer-beater if Steph doesn't give tell him the previous possession is his to run.
------ Closing Thoughts ------
It's amazing to watch some of the Dubs' defensive rotations. The constant ability of all the defenders across the board to rotate intuitively, both anticipating and reacting to offensive motion and scheme regardless of whether they're in man or zone is absolutely mind-blowing.
After watching all of these, I struggle to make sense of the Dubs' first quarter blues this year. We all know how amazing their Q3's are, but they were often needed as the Dubs' early Q1's we're often awful. Maybe I have selective memory, but I remember a lot of times where the Dubs' seem slow in Q1 and the opponent has a strong scoring run to open the game. These defensive schemes seem like they would prevent that, as they are definitely tailored to the offensive personnel for the team they're facing (at least in the playoffs and for the Nets).
One of the things watching so many videos from the early season run makes apparent to me is how intelligent the bench rotations were even early in the season. OPJ, GP2, and Bjeli were new to the org, but they fit right in. JTA and DLee, but really, JTA, were vets in the system and could help direct the new guys and the rooks on where to go and how to rotate. That makes me wonder about this years' group. Gone are all the players I mentioned above. Instead, JW, MM and JK are getting promoted into main rotation minutes, and DDV and JMG need to learn the system anew. Will DDV and JMG be able to fit in as seamlessly as OPJ, GP2, and Bjeli? It feels like one of the reasons the Dubs' defense coalesced so quickly last year was because of all the on-court coaching by all the vets like JTA/DLee/Dre on top of what Steph and Dray bring. Who will play that role this season? Especially if Dre isn't on the roster, to boot? We know that most coaches and media expect MM to fit in very well into the rotations. But can he also be vocal enough to teach the new guys and the rooks and JK and JW when they flub? Or are the added minutes from Klay, plus another years' maturation from Wiggs and JP3 be enough to fill that void? I think we know that there are two players, especially who need to demonstrate massive improvement in their ability to play team defense: JFK and J-Dub. Whether or not those two can become positives or at least net neutrals at that part of the game will be a huge factor in their 'Chip chances next season.
Watching EA's first E1P linked above, I suddenly had a vision of the future. We've all heard how much PBJ loves film by now. We also know all about his BBIQ, and how much influence having a coach as a father has had. I finally understand that JFK won't be Dray's understudy. It will be PBJ. Sure, he'll have to bulk up a bit to be able to defend in the post the way Dray does. And he'll have to heal from his injury to regain his high school top-5 prospect in the nation athleticism so he can have the lateral quickness to defend on the perimeter as well as the post. But I believe he'll have the physical tools. And now I believe he'll have the mental tools to understand the game as intuitively as Dray does. To anticipate offensive shifts as intuitively as Dray does. Buying a downtown warehouse loft in Baldwin City, baby. Gettin' in while real estate prices are low!
Hey DNHQ creators: EA's vids are every bit as good as those others I linked. It made me wonder about DNHQ. Have you ever done a poll asking how everyone found you guys? Who came over from GSOM? Who found you via E1P YT vids? Who found you via Google search or other Dubs' forums? Who found you via Twitter?
#YES easy answer!
11pm, and down to 81 degrees in the house. So, random thoughts while I wait until we hit the 70s,
Can Draymond pass? Of course, he is one of the best big men passers in the league today. Dray, LeBron, Jokic. But I believe opponents are making a critical mistake when they are guarding Draymond. I mean, when they are NOT guarding Draymond. A defense looks at Draymond and doesn't believe that he is a threat offensively. So they sag, they cheat, they dare him to put that backpack on on hoist a 3. And in so doing, they continue to make a horrible mistake. They just leave him standing there, from high elbow to high elbow, unguarded, tempting him, daring him to make a move offensively. And that entire time, he is free to take his time and cut up the defense with a pinpoint pass for a 3 or a back door layup. Opponents are giving one of the best passers in the game free reign. They give Dray a free pass. They think they have an advantage because they have 5 guys guarding 4. But the Warriors off-ball motion offense can always find a hole in the defense, especially when you consider the group b-ball IQ and years of playing together. If an assist pass doesn't materialize, at worst we get a dribble hand off and move on.
My point is, defenses think they are doing themselves a favor when they sag off of Dray. I believe, in doing so, they are giving one of the best passers in the league a free pass. If you are LeBron or Jokic, you always have your body between the ball and a defender, protecting the ball, as you survey the floor. Then you have to make a pass with a guy draped all over you. Not that Draymond can't make great passes out of defensive pressure, I am just saying, that most of the time, if Dray has the ball anywhere around the perimeter, defenders will sag, and they will dare him to shoot, and in doing so, give him all the room in the world to cut them up.
If I was a coach on another team, playing the Warriors, I would have my defenders putting as much ball pressure on Dray as one would on an elite guard. And the fact that teams don't play this way against Dray is why we are winning 2 more Chips before it's all said and done. Chess. Not checkers. Light years, to Infinity and Beyond.
BTW, so hot we went to a movie theater to get some air conditioning. Saw the DC Comics Super Pets movie. Good show if you got kids, and plenty in there for adults.
For me Mike Brown is #yes
No doubt about it
#YES-FUCK-YES
I've been an advocate of a small HWFL Hall, but Mike Brown easily passes the small-hall test with flying colors.
He was around for three of the four rings. He was around for 6 of the last 8 seasons, the same 8 seasons that the media has been cawing about the warriors going the the NBA Finals for 6 of the last 8 and winning 4 of the last 8. So, he's been around for 75% of the Dynasty.
The only players or coaches who have been around for more are the vet core (Steph/Klay/Dray/Dre/Loon(?)), vet player/coaches like Liv, and Kerr & Myers (I'm sure there are some other org peeps with lower profiles that have been around, too).
As EA mentioned, he's coached and won key playoff games. He's stepped in admirably as head coach whenever Kerr has needed him.
And most importantly, he is arguably in the top 5 people who contributed to this last championship when considering the weight of their contribution to the 'chip. I think you could argue that the only people who contributed more to this last championship are Steph, Dray, Wiggs, and Steve. And a large part of Dray's and Wigg's contribution, he had a hand in.
He morphed a good defense into an all-time defense. The Dubs started on an incredible 18-2 run where they performed like one of the best defenses of All-Time. Then, come playoff time, the Dubs defense up-leveled insanely during the playoffs. His fingerprints are all over both transformations. Certainly, Dray and Wiggs' individual contributions can't be discounted, but defense is team-wide, from Steph all the way down to the deep bench (Moody & JK during the playoffs). Article after article this season re-counted how creative the defense was, how incredibly smart the reads and adjustments each player who worked within the Dubs' system were. I remember coaches of opposing teams marveling how absurd it was that the Dubs could outright switch complicated defensive schemes without a timeout or play-stoppage. They switched shit up in transition! That was Brown. That was defensive excellence par extraordinaire. And without him, there is no WGBC.
Mike Brown is one of the easiest votes for HWFL yet. Even easier than voting no on Chiozza!
PS> Also, if you doubt how much he impacts any individual game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blFMvrhXVVo
#Yes
No question. One of the great defensive minds along with Adams and Thibs, and criminally underrated head coach who the Cavs/Lakers threw under the bus for their own horrendous roster management failings.
Late but better than never. A most definite #Yes!
I grew up in Sac, so Brown and the Brazilian Blur are great pick ups. Brown is in. Especially for his work with the defense this year. He helped get the D to another level this year by adding all the wrinkles, learning how to throw the change-up at offenses.
Speaking of fond memories from Sac, going through a heat wave without air conditioning. It's on our list. Good 88 degrees in the house at 6:30pm. At least the kids aren't bugging us about dinner. I think they are all passed out. Damn. Spent 4 hours in the attic this morning putting in new insulation. Guess that is what it must be like being a Kings fan. Whatever you do, ain't nothing ever works out.
#Yes.
Nothing to add, but like it anyway to make it the most worthless “Comments of the week” entry ever.
I will root for Sacramento against the Suns, the Lakers, the Clippers, the Grizzlies, the Nuggets and the Mavs
C'mon Kings!
#yes. Everything that needs to be said has been said.
#yes. I must have missed where we were supposed to hash tag even though we’re not on Twitter but I am nothing if not a herd animal.
Selfishly, I hope we can figure out how to continue the defensive level of intensity and performance from this last year. I think this defense punched above its weight, relative to talent level, more than any of the other dynasty years. Super impressive and a credit to Brown.
Mike Brown has coached us, the Lakers and now the Kings.
Given that he's only 52, he's got time to collect the whole Western Division.