First, a little recent history: On January 31, I watched the Golden State Warriors come into Atlanta to face the Hawks, the league's 29th-best team in terms of offensive efficiency this season.
Golden State played a zone defense that night ... at least I think that's what they were playing. It actually looked more to me like five guys milling about at the morning shootaround -- it was so lazy and lethargic that it really had to be seen to be believed.
Atlanta, who had trouble scoring 70 points in a full game on many occasions, hit that mark by halftime en route to a 115-104 victory. Considering the opponent, it was arguably the worst defensive performance I've seen in person, and I remember commenting to a Warriors beat writer afterward that I'd never seen a team play with less passion. (You can see my full thoughts on that game
here -- scroll down to item No. 8.)
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John Hollinger
