The Golden State Warriors Offense Is Struggling: How To Fix It

(Photo: Rocky Widner/Getty Images)

In Part One, we identified factors leading to the under-performing Golden State Warriors offense, now let’s delve into things that can potentially fix it.

Rotations

Despite the problems with rotations, Mark Jackson should be given some credit for at least experimenting with different lineups to fix it.  He’s gone big, small, full bench or mixtures to try and find results.

Some have failed, but on a positive note, Jackson has shown willingness and not a stubborn attitude towards it like some other coaches around the league have.

That said, thirty games into the season, it’s time to admit the full bench lineup is not working.

Noting the struggle of bench heavy units, the best solution is to try and curb rotations and make sure two or three of your six best offensive players are always on the floor. While you may see a dip in offensive efficiency, you won’t see as heavy a one as when the team goes full bench.

Spacing

I know what you’re thinking, how can spacing be an issue on a team with two of the league’s most lethal long range shooters?

In discussing the issues with David Lee and Andrew Bogut together in Part One, the biggest issue has been spacing.  Lee’s mid-range jumper has fallen off.

Lee has only made 20 mid-range jumpers all season at 26.7%.

Last season he made 162 (over 2 per game) at 42.9%. 

The fall off has led defenses to sag off of him in the mid-range and protect the rim, leading to the Warriors having difficulty to finish at the rim when both are on the floor at the same time.

For all his shooting woes, Lee has still proven an effective cutter and finisher at the rim especially when Bogut is not on the floor. 

With Bogut, it’s proven too difficult for him to finish over two defenders in a packed paint, something very few players in the NBA can do anyway.

As noted in Part One, with statistics of when Lee or Bogut are off the floor, the team’s offensive efficiency spikes.  This is because of the added spacing.

The Warriors have either gone to Marreese Speights, a pick-and-pop big who hangs out twenty feet from the rim, or small-ball lineup with Harrison Barnes or Draymond Green at power forward.

All three are credible shooting threats, spreading the defense, allowing either Bogut, Lee or perimeter cutters to get easy baskets.

Pick and Roll

In noting the spacing issue caused by Lee and Bogut together, the natural trade target would be to try and find a stretch big man who can hit shots consistently beyond 18 feet to rotate with the two.

The easy answer would be to try and make a trade for one of these players.  The problem is, there are not too many of these players available, and it would certainly require the Warriors to give up future picks.

Perhaps the Warriors best move is to stand pat and try to manufacture it.

Speights was signed for this very reason. He was the third-best mid-range shooting big man in the NBA last two seasons. 

Speights has been struggling to find his shot, but he has a long enough track record not to believe he won’t snap out of it.  Run more pick-and-pop for him.

The same could be said for Lee, as he’s been a reliable pick-and-pop player for the past two seasons.  This season has seen the Warriors go away from the pick-and-roll/pop.

As noted in Zach Lowe’s recent Grantland piece:

 
Only about 22.5 percent of Golden State’s possessions have ended as a result of a pick-and-roll,⁹ the sixth-lowest share in the league, per Synergy.

Last season this was one of the Warriors’ most successful plays.  Lee, specifically, has always thrived on this and shoots the mid-range jumper best off of it.

Perhaps utilizing this more will get Lee’s shot going, gain confidence and generate better results from the struggling Lee/Bogut frontcourt combo.

The Warriors could also employ more Green and Barnes at PF for spacing in the pick and roll.

Trades

It’s always easiest to say ‘We need a trade’. The reality is, trades are difficult and often result in mortgaging the future for a short term fix.

That said, if there is one thing for the Warriors to pursue, it’s another effective shot creator for off the bench.

With a more natural point guard, who can run pick and roll and set up bench players like Toney Douglas, Barnes or Speights who are best suited in catch and shoots or cutting. 

If an opportunity does arise to find a player like this, it would be worth exploring.

Conclusion

This team does have the offensive talent to do better than it has to date.  It’s now up to Jackson and the coaching staff to experiment with rotations and play-calling to find the best way to consistently manufacture results.