OAKLAND The good feelings that revolved around the Warriors' defensive performance against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night will probably be forgotten once tonight's game against the New York Knicks comes to an end.
"With the Knicks coming to town, it's going to be a shootout because we like to play the same way," Warriors coach Don Nelson said Monday. "They've been a little more successful at it than we have so far this year, but we play a similar style, and there will be a lot of scoring." But the Warriors believe they are starting to turn a corner when it comes to being more responsible on the defensive end. Including Sunday's 116-96 win over Utah, in which the Jazz shot 41.8 percent from the field, Golden State has held seven of its past 14 opponents to less than 45 percent shooting.
Whereas Jazz center Mehmet Okur finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, forwards Ronnie Brewer, Paul Millsap and Matt Harpring were a combined 9-for-24 from the floor for 18 points and 14 rebounds. Utah also shot 5-for-19 from beyond the 3-point line.
That was in sharp contrast to the teams' last meeting Jan. 5, when Brewer and Millsap combined for 32 points and 18 rebounds in Utah's 119-114 win.
"They're playing well, they're getting along with each other and they're starting to hold each other accountable. And that's what you want," said assistant coach Keith Smart, who has coordinated the Warriors' defense for the past two months.
"You want your players to follow the game plan and then hold each other accountable when a person is not in a position where he's supposed to be."
A lot of the credit for containing Millsap, who was averaging 16.7 points and 10.8 rebounds in 32 starts, went to center Ronny Turiaf, who was able to guard the Utah power forward and give help around the hoop when necessary.
"Sometimes we're not always on the same page," Turiaf said after Sunday's win. "If everybody's on the same page, everybody knows the guard's going to go over the top of the screen, the big guy's going to show and if somebody rolls, then the weak-side (help) has to be there.
"It's those type of details that make a good defensive team. And I think we did a good defensive job."
Turiaf, who leads the NBA in blocks per 48 minutes at 5.38, will especially be counted on for as long as center Andris Biedrins is out of the lineup. Biedrins, who suffered a sprained right ankle on Friday in Phoenix, is hopeful he'll be back after the All-Star break, which runs Friday through Feb. 17.
"(Turiaf's) a perfect blend for what we're trying to do," Nelson said. ... He's not a great rebounder, but he puts himself in position where he has to give up the rebound because of his great shot blocking. So we understand that. But he works hard on rebounding. It'll be good if he could get a couple more."
Containing the Knicks poses a different challenge considering they are fifth in the league in scoring (104.3 ppg) and rang up 138 points in a 13-point win over the Warriors at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 29. Nelson said he forgot about that loss almost immediately after it ended.
"We're so far away from where we were then," said guard Jamal Crawford, who was playing his fourth game with the Warriors at that time. "At that time, (Corey) Maggette and I were there, but no (Stephen) Jackson, no Monta (Ellis). We're a different team."
Notes: Guard Marco Belinelli (sprained right ankle) said he should return after the All-Star break, most likely against the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 18. Belinelli has missed the past 13 games. "... Maggette was back in Los Angeles on Monday receiving treatment on his sore back.
Contact Curtis Pashelka at cpashelka@bayareanewsgroup.comTODAY: vs. Knicks, 7:30 p.m. TV: CSNBA Radio: 680-AM
