Today, the Warriors finally welcomed a long-awaited victory on the road, defeating the Timberwolves with a clear advantage and successfully ending their losing streak. This victory was not only due to Curry's excellent performance from beyond the three-point line but also closely related to their outstanding defensive strategy. In the first quarter of the game, the Warriors' defensive performance stood out, allowing the Timberwolves to score only 12 points. This match was extremely rare for the Warriors, as we seldom see them leading by such a large margin in the first quarter; usually, they tend to be behind during the first quarter.
It was precisely because of the strong lead established in the first quarter that the Warriors could remain somewhat calm in subsequent games, resisting potential scoring risks. Otherwise, they might have suffered another crushing defeat today. The reason for the Warriors' transformation in defense is the return of Payton Jr., who has been out for a long time due to injury. His appearance in the game had a crucial impact on the team's overall defensive capabilities. His defensive coverage is quite extensive; he can not only guard the opponent's key players individually but also quickly support with his agile and fast-moving speed, making him an excellent choice for blocking the opponent's center in the paint, comprehensively improving the defensive efficiency on the court.
Due to Payton Jr.'s outstanding defensive performance, the Warriors were able to restrict their opponents while launching effective counterattacks, thus forming an offensive confrontation with the opposition. Many fans pointed out that Payton Jr.'s importance to the team is no less than Green's. While Green is the cornerstone of interior defense, Payton Jr. is undoubtedly one of the important pillars of perimeter defense, forming a pair with Wiggins, both capable of guarding the opponent's key players.
Many fans believe that Payton Jr.'s role on the court far exceeds Bogut's. However, Payton Jr.'s playing time was often less than Bogut's, a situation that should not be affected by Payton Jr.'s three-point shooting stability issues. The Warriors urgently need to adjust to ensure that Payton Jr. gets at least 25 minutes of playing time per game, which will ensure that the team's defensive efficiency continues to improve. What do you think about this?