Depth
The Golden State Warriors have three players that could easily start on the majority of NBA teams that they have the privilege to bring off the bench.
Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala and Jordan Bell along with Jacob Evans, Quinn Cook and Kevin Looney highlight the Dubs second unit. Individually, outside of Cook, most of them are top-tier defenders which allows them to easily transition to the starting unit if necessary.
Iguodala, or Iggy for short, was severely missed during the 2018 postseason.
With him, the Rockets-Warriors series might’ve been over after just five games. His defensive tenacity and impactful on-court leadership are just a few reasons the Dubs were 3.2 points per game better with him on the court. He’s a high-impact player.
For Livingston, he stepped up big time last season. At 6-foot-7, he has ideal length for a point guard and perfectly exemplifies what a backup one should be. Last postseason, he averaged just 5.7 points per game yet shot 54% from the field.
Livingston is a true success story after a gruesome leg injury that could’ve easily ended his career. He fought back and now his high efficiency has made him one of the Dubs best second unit players.
As for the rest of the bench, they should prove to be crucial as the Dubs attempt to prolong their success by occasionally resting players and allowing ample time for their stars to return from injury.