The press is offense

Technically, the press is defense, because it is the other team's possession. But at the same time, the ball is on the defensive team's end of the court and thus  the object of the press is not (at least immediately) to keep the other team from scoring, but to get possession of the ball and convert defense into quick offense. I hear teams sometimes described as good defensive teams mainly because of their press, and I understand that that is correct according to the "letter of the law," but it is difficult for me to think of it as defense.