Last year, Steve Kerr and the Warriors coaching staff were the worst in the league at challenging calls.
Golden State was successful on just 31.8% of coach’s challenges, well below the 59.2% league average. The Warriors were one of just three teams that got less than half of their challenges correct.
Their decision-making, apparently, showed faults. So the Warriors added overhauling their strategy to their long list of offseason to-dos.
To streamline their challenge process, the Warriors want their players to be more discerning on whether to signal to the bench — by circling their index finger — for a review after a whistle. In the NBA, it might seem like players make the challenge motion any time they’re called for a foul.
But Kerr can’t trust his boys if they’re always crying wolf.
Beyond the triggering action of players being more selective when motioning to the bench for a review, the Warriors’ revamped strategy centers primarily on one player: Draymond Green.
Kerr and the Warriors started 4-for-4 on challenges this season, and all four of their successful reviews overturned fouls called on Green. Most challenges league-wide come in the fourth quarter, but Green is such a valuable — and physical — player, the Warriors are comfortable hitting the horn for a borderline call any time in the game, especially if it would be his fourth or fifth personal foul.
The early results are promising. Kerr is 4-for-5 to start the season — an 80% success rate that would’ve led the league last year — and the Warriors have kept Green on the floor, where he has been a dominant defensive presence.
“Our process is better,” Green said after the Warriors’ 104-89 win over New Orleans. “I saw that graphic this summer and it had like the head coaches…like, ‘Man, we were awful.’ But our process wasn’t great. You’ve got me out there crying. You’ve got BP out there crying. Everybody’s just running around like, ‘Challenge it! Challenge!’ And we weren’t able to create a good process.”
Last year’s struggles with the replay review system weren’t because of a lack of effort. For years, Kerr has cooperated with his assistant coaches and video coordinators on parameters for when and when not to light the horn. Kerr has wanted his staff to be decisive, with a quick thumbs up or thumbs down after a borderline call to signal whether he should call for a review or not.
This season’s success is emblematic of a more level-headed team — at least through a week. Green has caught himself multiple times, cautioning Kerr not to challenge a call on him because he knew the official was right. He said he’s noticed Brandin Podziemski doing the same.
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“It’s important, because the reality is, it’s bigger than just whether you lose the challenge or not,” Green said. “It probably means if we’re losing challenges the way we are, we all are being overemotional. We all are being overconsumed with what the referees are calling. I think it’s important for us, as leaders, to understand: use them wisely. They’re very important, they can change the outcome of a game.”
Through the first week of games, coaches got 61 of 112 challenges right (54.5%). The majority of the challenges came on foul calls, as opposed to out-of-bounds or goaltends. A plurality (45) of challenges came in the fourth quarter or overtime; teams like to save their reviews for late in close games.
All five of Golden State’s challenges were on fouls whistled on Green. Overturning what would have been Green’s third foul in the second quarter, Golden State’s fourth straight successful challenge of the year helped keep Green on the court to limit Zion Williamson to a 5-for-20 night.
The fifth attempt, which snapped Kerr’s successful streak, hurt in the long-run because it cost them the opportunity to review an out-of-bounds call later in the game that would have gone the Warriors’ way. When Podziemski signaled to the bench after his assignment’s dribble went awry, he signaled demonstratively toward Kerr. Not only did the Warriors have no challenges left, but the official assessed a technical on Podziemski.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s a better process,” Podziemski said. “I think Draymond’s better with his emotional reaction to some things. He kind of understands, ‘Do we have a legitimate shot at it?’ I think he’s been really good at deciphering that.”
The irony of Kerr excelling at challenging calls is that he’s philosophically against the practice of replay reviews. He has said that he wishes the league only did replays for buzzer-beaters, and that foul calls like the charge-block are subjective. Replays, he says, ruin the flow of the game and don’t even always get the call right ultimately.
But getting challenges right does help. He even believes getting them wrong can help, too. Challenging a call shows that he has his players’ backs.
In this case, it shows the Warriors have Green’s back.
“I think we’re being a little more conscientious,” Kerr said. “But at the same time, if Draymond or Steph is going to pick up his fifth foul and it’s questionable, that’s a great time to challenge — if you win it or not…He knows we’re backing him up, we’re going to bat for him.”
It’s still early in the season. But the Warriors’ early success in challenging is a promising sign. It means they’re more collected, sharper and quicker under pressure.