OAKLAND The most surprising aspect of Warriors guard Jamal Crawford's game-winning 3-pointer Sunday wasn't that it went in while Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger was bearing down on him.
After all, Crawford often makes difficult shots and has a reputation for knocking down clutch jumpers. What was unusual was that Crawford gave up the ball to start the possession and, after a few passes, wound up getting it back. "We diagrammed the play," Warriors coach Don Nelson said, "but the ball started getting moved around, which is what we've been working on for a month and a half now. But the ball movement actually got us a good shot."
The 3-pointer epitomized how the Warriors are taking to the new offensive scheme, which is predicated on motion and ball movement. Nelson installed the system after his team was humiliated in San Antonio on Dec. 6. Since that Sunday-morning practice at Trinity College the next day, the Warriors have made noticeable strides when it comes to sharing the ball.
In the 19 games since that practice, the Warriors have reached their goal of 20 assists or more 14 times. They've shot 45 percent or better 14 times during that span. In the 20 games before the switch in offensive strategy, the Warriors reached 20 assists 11 times and shot 45 percent or better nine times.
Golden State has been especially productive of late. In their past nine games, a stretch that began with the home upset of the Boston Celtics, the Warriors averaged 108.6 points on 48.5 percent shooting with 22.2 assists. During that stretch, the Warriors were without at least one of their top four scorers Crawford and swingmen Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette and Kelenna Azubuike in every game.
"It shows that we're growing as a team," Crawford said.
Backup center Ronny Turiaf said he's noticed the difference and has been an advocate of the Warriors' spread-the-love mantra. Turiaf has 18 points and 12 assists the past two games, a sign of an increase in touches.
Only once before the installment of the new philosophy had Turiaf taken more than four shots in a game or scored in double figures. That came Dec. 5 when he scored 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting at Houston, a game he started so he could guard Rockets center Yao Ming. His season high in assists was three, in the opener.
Since the change in offense, Turiaf has three games of double-figures scoring, eight games with more than four shots and six games with at least four assists.
Now, his teammates are urging him to shoot more.
"I'm getting the ball in situations where I can be successful," said Turiaf, adding that he doesn't like to shoot unless he's in rhythm, despite the yells for him to fire away. "It took me a while, but I'm finding my niche."
The array of injuries perhaps helped the Warriors change offenses. With key cogs on the shelf, the reserves were forced into bigger roles and aren't as good at creating offense. So all the movement and passing plays to their strengths. Most notably, guard Marco Belinelli and forward Brandan Wright, before they went down with injuries, reaped the benefits of the new offense.
The only question now is whether the Warriors can continue this style of play when everyone returns. In February, when the roster is complete, will the ball work its way back to Crawford for the game-winning shot?
"I don't design plays in which there are four passes before you get a shot," Nelson said. "But you try to train your players to make the extra pass."
Contact Marcus Thompson II at mthomps2@bayareanewsgroup.com
