Golden State Warriors Playoff Rotation: Who’s In and Who’s Out?
Mar 11, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard
Andre Iguodala(9) high fives guard
Shaun Livingston(34) after a basket and a foul against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Having eclipsed 60 wins for the first time in franchise history and having already clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors are officially in playoff mode. Over the final nine games of the season, fans may notice Steve Kerr experiment with a few rotation tweaks, giving certain players more, less or even no playing time at all. Though their depth is one of the main reasons Golden State is even in their current position, come playoff time the style of play changes and coaches need to adjust their rotations accordingly.
When the game inevitably takes a slower pace, coaches need to know which players can effectively run the half-court offense. When the game inevitably gets chippy in certain situations, coaches need to know which players are going to be tough enough to play through the aggression of their opponent. And when the game is inevitably on the line, coaches need to know which players are going to dig in and ensure that his team comes out on top.
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But unlike most coaches, who are forced to choose from an often unfavorable supply of backups and replacements, Steve Kerr has the option to hand pick his playoff rotation from one of the best bench units in the Association. Off the bench, the Warriors can trot out Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Marresse Speights, Leandro Barbosa, Justin Holiday and David Lee, a unit that is probably the most well-rounded in the entire league. But two or three of those players are going to find their minutes hard to come by as the Warriors move through the postseason.
So who’s in, and who’s out?
Next: Iguodala