By Dylan Murphy



As a defense, the Warriors have long been known for their switching. With many like-sized players capable of guarding multiple positions, they dismantle the utility of opponent screening actions to force one-on-one basketball as the shot clock winds down. The Warriors’ defensive possessions end in an isolation 10.4 percent of the time, with a scoring rate of 0.85 points per possession (according to NBA.com), which is good for the second-highest and fifth-lowest rates, respectively.



In short, the Warriors successfully funnel opponents toward inefficiency.



Switching is the most effective NBA defense because it walls off penetration. Instead of fighting through contact, helping and recovering, defenses switch to cut down on the creases that screens reveal. In a lineup filled with versatile defenders, the mismatches that can arise are relatively manageable.



The most common offensive response to a switching defense is to seek out the...