Golden State Warriors: Andre Iguodala should continue to start

The Golden State Warriors swingman has played well enough to keep his starting spot on Saturday in Game 1 against the Pelicans.

The Golden State Warriors dispatched the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the first round of the playoffs. One of the surprising moves Warriors head coach Steve Kerr made going into round 1 was starting veteran swingman and jack-of-all-trades, Andre Iguodala.

Iguodala rewarded Kerr’s decision to start the veteran by averaging 7.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 3.6 apg in a productive 27.1 minutes per game. He only shot 41.9 percent from the field, but shot a solid 41.2 percent from beyond the arc. To compare, his three-point shooting prior to the all-star break was an abysmal 22.9 percent, but post all-star break, Iguodala’s three-point percentage skyrocketed to 41.2.

His hot shooting will need to be sustained against New Orleans in this next round and could be a reason he needs to continue to be in the starting lineup. Iguodala’s hot shooting is a bonus from all of the other tangibles and intangibles he brings to the team.

His defense will be most needed against the high cerebral and athletic players such as Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, Nikola Mirotic and Jrue Holiday. Iguodala will most likely be tasked with defending Mirotic, a shooter, who is in an other-worldly zone right now.

Mirotic is shooting 57.1 percent from the field, including 46.2 percent from the field, while averaging 18.3 ppg in the four-game sweep of the Blazers. Iguodala does not like guarding big, spread the floor shooters like Mirotic, but he might have to with Klay Thompson presumably being assigned to guard Holiday.

Speaking of Holiday, he might be putting together the best offensive stretch of his career. His size and strength gave the Portland guards headaches, but Thompson being the primary defender on Holiday should slow him down — just a little bit.

In the first round series against the Blazers, Holiday averaged 27.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 6.5 apg on 56.8 percent from the field, including 35.0 from beyond the arc. However, if Iguodala does get switched onto Holiday, the Warriors should have the utmost confidence in him in slowing down the Pelicans guard. His quick hands, strength and high basketball I.Q. should help him contain Holiday.

The other qualities Iguodala brings besides his fantastic defensive and whatever the team needs approach are leadership and a calmness to the team in times of struggle. Kerr has called Iguodala an “organizer” when the game starts to go south for Golden State.

It was reported earlier today that Stephen Curry went through full practice and Kerr said that he is “questionable” to return on Saturday for Game 1 against the Pelicans.

How does this have anything to do with Iguodala?

Well, if Curry does come back on Saturday for Game 1, Iguodala could be inserted as the small forward and “The Hampton’s 5” would start the game. For clarification, “the Hampton’s 5” is Curry, Iguodala, Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant. This lineup could potentially blitz New Orleans from the jump.

This is a real possibility as noted by Anthony Slater of The Athletic:

Whether Curry plays on Saturday should not affect the decision if Iguodala starts. Iguodala has proven time and again that he can step in and provide whatever the team needs, as well as lock down the opposing team’s best players or in this case, it would be their hottest shooter in Mirotic.

Next: Grading each Warriors player in the first round

All stats and references are from basketball-reference.com and stats.nba.com.