The Golden State Warriors need a healthy Andre Iguodala to win their second championship in three years.
The Golden State Warriors are cruising right now! They dismantled the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, 136-100. Everyone contributed to the victory but there was one player that was missing in action: Andre Iguodala.
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Iguodala was nursing a sore left knee, an injury that occurred in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Utah Jazz. Iguodala was one of the main reasons why the Warriors have been so dominant the last couple months. Warriors’ fans got flashbacks of the old Iguodala in Denver and Philadelphia as he was attacking the rim with reckless abandon.
When Durant went down to injury in late February, it was Iguodala that really stepped up his game. In Durant’s absence, Iguodala averaged almost 12 points per game and shooting an astounding 60 percent from the floor. His play propelled the Warriors to a 13-game winning streak after struggling early without the former MVP.
In the postseason, Iguodala has struggled with his shot. It might be a direct cause of Durant returning to the lineup, affecting Iguodala’s rhythm. Iguodala has looked tentative with his jumper, hitting only three three-pointers so far in the postseason. Instead of taking open jumpers, Iguodala has often looked to distribute, averaging almost four assists per game.
Despite his struggles, it has not affected the Warriors’ game. The Warriors have not lost a game in large part to their stifling defense. With Kawhi Leonard going down to injury in Game 1, the presence of Iguodala has not been necessary. The organization knows that Iguodala is not essential to the Western Conference Finals but rather the potential NBA Finals.
This is because the likely matchup in the NBA Finals will be against the Cleveland Cavaliers. There were many contributing factors to the Warriors crushing loss last season. There was Stephen Curry’s health, Draymond Green’s suspension and LeBron James’ incredible Finals performance. All of these factors were crucial but the deciding factor may have been Iguodala’s health.
In Game 6 of last year’s NBA Finals, Iguodala left the game with back stiffness and was never the same player after the injury. In Game 7, he tried to play but it was clear that the back injury was still affecting him. If the Warriors had a healthy Iguodala, maybe he would have been able to slow down James as he did in the previous season. Instead the Cavaliers outlasted the Warriors in Game 7, winning their first championship in franchise history.
In 2015, Iguodala was healthy in the NBA Finals and the result was a championship for the Warriors. He was named Finals MVP because of his defense against James and being inserted into the starting lineup. The Warriors are hoping the same result happens this season.
It will be different because Kevin Durant will be starting and will most likely get the first opportunity of stopping James. But we have seen throughout the postseason that Durant has struggled with his perimeter defense. He has struggled with penetration, often giving fouls after getting beat off the dribble. Durant has improved immensely with his perimeter defense but Durant’s lack of strength could be an issue against James.
Green would be the second option against James. Green definitely has the strength to bang with James but his quickness may be an issue. We have seen Green guard James in the past but James has the ability to get under Green’s skin, which we saw last season with Green’s Game 5 suspension.
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Iguodala would be the third option but he might be their best option. A healthy Iguodala has the quickness and the strength to contain James. It would allow the Warriors defense to not double-team James, where he is lethal, finding open shooters. Iguodala’s quick hands would also be an issue for James because more times than not, Iguodala is able to strip the ball from his opponents. This fuels the Warriors transition game where they are at their best.
If Iguodala is not 100 percent when the Warriors travel to San Antonio, the organization would be wise to rest him. It is too risky to put Iguodala out there with the chance of re-injuring his left knee. Iguodala is too important to the Warriors’ title chances to be dealing with a nagging injury or being out with a more serious injury. Instead, the Warriors need to make sure Iguodala is healthy for the potential NBA Finals matchup. A healthy Iguodala should result in another championship, which is exactly what all Warriors’ fans want to see.