Sunday's game against the Dallas Mavericks will be a special one for the Golden State Warriors, with the franchise set to honor 4x NBA champion Andre Iguodala.
The 2015 NBA Finals MVP will become the seventh player to have his jersey retired by the Warriors, and the first of what will undoubtedly be multiple members from a dynastic period that fans hope may still have life left.
Klay Thompson will be out to ruin the Warriors celebration
Iguodala joined Golden State in 2013 and went on to average 6.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 452 games, but his enormous impact went far beyond the numbers as his defense and leadership proved huge in the game's biggest moments.
The Warriors will be out to celebrate Iguodala's jersey retirement in style with a win over the visiting Dallas Mavericks. That's particularly the case for six of Iguodala's championship teammates who remain on the roster, but there will also be another notable former teammate out to ruin the occassion.
Klay Thompson will be back at Chase Center for the third time following his heart-wrenching departure in free agency last offseason. The two teams have split the meetings in the Bay this season, with Thompson going for a season-high 29 points on 7-of-11 3-point shooting last time out on December 15.
The 5x All-Star was less efficient in the recent meeting between Golden State and Dallas at American Airlines Center, but it didn't matter as Kyrie Irving's 42 points led the depleted Mavericks to a 111-107 victory just before the All-Star break.
There's another notable storyline going into the contest, with this also presenting as the first game Jimmy Butler will play at Chase Center following his blockbuster acquisition just before the trade deadline. Butler has had a monumental impact on his new team who are 4-1 since his arrival, having averaged 20.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals in just over 32 minutes per game.
Iguodala, Thompson and Butler are all big elements to Sunday's game, but a win is the most important factor for the Warriors who are one spot below the Mavericks in the standings. Dallas are 31-26 and 1.5 games ahead of Golden State in the eight-seed, yet are dealing with a trio of injuries in their big man rotation which includes new superstar Anthony Davis.
The Warriors can edge to within touching distance with a win over their conference rival, which would be a perfect segue to Iguodala's jersey retirement which will take place after the game.