"DENVER Effort. There is no stat to measure it. It cannot be felt, moved or heard. But it can be seen. And it certainly can be noticed, both in its abundance, and in the case of the Warriors' 129-104 shellacking on Friday night at the hands of the Nuggets in an Emirates Cup group stage matchup, in its absence."
"We just had a lack of purpose and energy, really right from the start, Kerr said. Competitive fire, connection, a competitive edge. We didn't have it. Yes, the Warriors have played their last two losses without Steph Curry, their best player and leader. But missing Curry did not excuse the team's lapses."
"The solution to this malaise is a simple one, Green and Post believed. We've got to take pride in our individual matchups, we all have to play for each other and try to go at these guys on the defensive end, and play with force, Post said. Tonight, it didn't feel like we did that. It felt like we were just kind of passive and let them attack us. Green agreed with Post, but also took the blame for the Warriors' shortcomings on that side of the ball. I failed, Green said. If our defense looks as (expletive) as it does, I've failed."
The Warriors lost 129-104 to the Nuggets, and a pervasive lack of effort was cited as the primary cause. Coach Steve Kerr and players described a deficit of purpose, energy, competitive fire and connection from the start. Defensive breakdowns were most glaring, with the team giving up over 120 points in multiple games. Draymond Green bluntly acknowledged the defense's poor performance and took responsibility. Younger players' poor shooting and passive play were noted as contributing factors. Quinten Post emphasized individual matchups and collective defensive force as required solutions.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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