If you know me or follow me on twitter, you know that I follow the Golden State Warriors more closely than any other team in the league. No player intrigues me the way Stephen Curry does (can you blame me?), and the belief that this team may be good enough to come out of the West became a reality when the team acquired Andrew Bogut two seasons ago. They were half way there to prove this point last season, and look to make even a bigger mark this season with an improved roster.
Of course, they haven’t been nearly as good as expected up to this point, but that is the consequence of some unfortunate injuries (and the often-awful presence that is David Lee). The key to any amazing season involves having some good luck, and that part hasn’t happened for Golden State just yet. They did dodge a bullet when Andre Iguodala avoided serious damage to his injured hamstring, though, and things should become much smoother upon his return.
Anyway, I happily provide you with absolutely fantastic articles on some of the key players of the Warriors in today’s blog, along with other goodies, as usual.
ALL ABOUT ANDRE:
When the Golden State Warriors surprisingly signed the do-it-all forward Andre Iguodala over the summer, most perceived the move as one that had the potential to help carry the team over the top to become a true contender. His presence – and non-presence – has been felt over the first quarter of the season. There are many factors as to why the Warriors have been so up-and-down to this point on both ends of the floor, but to make a long story short, Iguodala’s presence is proving to be an absolute need for this team to be good at all after losing Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry in the offseason. Golden State is 8-5 with Iguodala in the lineup. 4-5 with him out.
He’s obviously a vital piece, so it’s certainly worth learning a bit about his past, what kind of a person he is and why he is such a great fit for the Warriors. Jonathan Abrams of Grantland wrote a brilliant, must-read piece about the history of Iguodala. Below are particularly notable sections in the article:
[Who Iguodala wanted to be growing up] Pippen may have been a better shooter than Iguodala, but Kerr sees similarities between his former teammate and his fellow Arizona alumnus. “Both guys are more natural passers than scorers,” he said. “They are both incredibly versatile defenders. Obviously, the athleticism is off the charts, and just the length. One of the reasons why Andre has become — and Scottie did become — distributors is that they weren’t great shooters. So when you’re not great at something, you figure out what you are really good at and you always work on your weaknesses.” ”Is Scottie considered a superstar?” Iguodala asked. “He played with MJ. Sometimes it’s time and place. You got guys that have superstar capabilities but just aren’t in the right spot.” ”I don’t like comparisons too much, but I really do see myself as a Scottie type, a Penny type,” Iguodala said. “Those are my two favorite players.”
[On the impact Luke Walton had on him] “I could score points, but I had to work a lot harder to do it than Andre did. To see a player of his skill and ability willing to play the unselfish way is definitely rare.” Iguodala told Olson that he wanted to be like Walton. “Luke Walton was great for me,” Iguodala said. “I had great numbers in high school; I scored a lot of points. But Luke showed me how to play basketball, stress-free, like how to pass, how to position yourself, how to sacrifice yourself for a teammate. How can I get him a wide-open shot, sacrifice myself by driving, drawing in two and kicking it to him?”
[On his controversial days in Philadelphia] “They wanted a shooter and a scorer and a winning team, not a player who could do it all. Iguodala consulted with Donovan McNabb, the Eagles’ oft-criticized quarterback. “Philly is not understanding [about anyone who is] 19 years old and coming into this league,” Shanklin said. “Philly is on record booing Santa Claus.” Iguodala was nothing like the charismatic, controversial Iverson. His jumper ran hot-and-cold. He could be aloof in interviews. The fans were unforgiving, acting as though Iguodala himself had traded Iverson. “If we lost, I couldn’t go out the next day,” Iguodala said. “I couldn’t walk outside. I would walk down the street and get ‘Fuck you’ all the time. People are always focused on what you don’t do all the time. ‘Why don’t you do this, why don’t you do that?’… Philadelphia started from scratch this offseason with new general manager Sam Hinkie, new coach Brett Brown, and an overhauled roster. Iguodala is still stung by the experience. “They’re saying the team hasn’t had much success since Iverson’s team went to the Finals,” Iguodala said. “We only missed the playoffs twice. They were talking like we were just this bum squad the whole time I was there.”
There is no update as to when he will return from the hamstring injury he suffered against the Los Angeles Lakers back in Nov. 22, but it shouldn’t be too much longer before he is back in action, and what a welcoming sight that day will be for the struggling Warriors. While replacement forward Harrison Barnes oozes potential, hes still in the developing phase of what he could one day be. That’s a nice way of saying he’s not quite on the level of Iguodala as of yet. The next paragraph shows exactly why this is the case:
I always talked about the hockey assist in Philly. The pass that leads to the pass that leads to the score is sometimes more important. I know if I hit Steph, Klay’s man’s going to have to rotate off the down pick because the big is on me. So there’s 4-on-3 on the other side. I know if I swing it to Steph, somebody’s going to have to cover him, and Klay’s going to be wide open. Before the play is even set up, I know to go this way, so the defense has to shift a certain way. Swing, swing, you get a score every time. I learned this from Andre Miller.”
He understands and cares about various nuisances of the game that will never be seen in a stat sheet. A “hockey assist” is the perfect example of this, and that’s the kind of unselfish mindset he has. That is why the pairing of him and Stephen Curry allowed the Warriors to have one of the biggest point differentials in the league when they played together.
(This is not to say that Barnes doesn’t have an understanding of these things, but he is only a second-year player and has yet to display the ability to see plays develop before they happen)
Iguodala’s history of “team” mentality and unselfish nature makes him an even better fit with Mark Jackson’s Warriors than even the most optimistic fans believed he would be coming into the season.
SPEAKING OF CURRY:
Curry had some interesting things to say about himself in this article by Sam Alipour of ESPN the Magazine:
Alipour: Let’s talk about the other end of the floor now. If you had to guard Steph Curry, how would you play him?
Curry: I’d try to be physical and funnel him to my help. I’d pick him up at halfcourt, knowing he can shoot the ball off the dribble, and especially in transition, so being able to put a body on him as he comes across halfcourt — that’s the key. But you have to pick your poison. If you do that, I’m able to get by you and make plays. I might not score 30 points, but I can get a bunch of assists, get that ball moving. That’s why we’re such a good team. You can’t key in on one guy and expect that I’ll go out there and force 30 shots a game and try to get my numbers. It’s about making the right play.Alipour: Today more than ever, the stereotype for the position is being challenged. But for every Tony Parker, there’s a label buster like Russell Westbrook. When you’re at your peak, when you’ve reached your full potential, which all-time NBA guard will you most resemble?
Curry: I’d say Steve Nash. He’s always been one of those guys who was in that 50-40-90 club [50 percent on twos, 40 percent on threes, 90 percent from the line], which as a point guard is tough to do because you’re responsible for getting guys in rhythm, getting guys open, walking that fine line of when to shoot or pass. To be able to run your offense as efficiently as he does, as a guy who can stretch a defense and also use his change of speed and passing to be a triple threat, that’s pretty special to watch. I mostly modeled my game after him, but I watched everybody. I can’t do some of the stuff that Coach Jackson did or Gary Payton, who liked to back people down, and I’m not as quick as Tim Hardaway, but you can watch those guys and steal a move from them. Steve, the way he shoots the ball and his creativity with passing, using both hands, that inspired me to play the way I do right now. We’re different, but he’s as close as it gets.Alipour: So let’s say there are five seconds left in the game, one shot to win it all, and you get to draw up the final play in some Space Jam–type world. On the floor is Ray Allen, Jordan, Kobe, Reggie Miller and you. Who’s your No. 1 option?
Curry: Jordan’s No. 1. I’m No. 2. Then you go Ray, then Reggie, then Kobe. Three-pointer or not, same answer.
His confidence has never been higher, with good reason. Here is how Curry stacks up against other point guards this season: No. 1 in scoring with 23.6 points, No. 3 in assists with 8.9, No. 7 in rebounds with 4.3, No. 8 in steals with 1.7, and No. 1 in 3-pointers made per game with 3.3. His one weakness lies in the tendency to be careless with the ball, averaging 3.8 turnovers – second worst among starting point guards behind Russell Westbrook.
On the same day this article went up, Curry hit the first game-winner of his career in the NBA against the Dallas Mavericks. Impeccable timing.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT DAVID LEE:
After seeing the many issues that Lee presents on both ends of the floor for the Warriors so far this season – in a very negative way – fans have started to turn on the All-Star power forward. What do you do with a guy who is clearly a liability on the defensive end and has regressed offensively to the point where you wonder if he can convert an open layup half the time? Trading him doesn’t seem like an option at this particular time for the front office, so all you can really do is complain. Ethan Sherwood Strauss of ESPN explains how the double-double machine has lost the fans:
What’s interesting about the rapid shift in Lee’s reputation is the consistency of his game the past couple of years. His early-season efficiency numbers are down a bit because of a midrange shooting slump, but he’s averaging more than 20 points and 11 rebounds per 40 minutes, just as in seasons past. Lee hasn’t changed nearly as much as people’s opinions of him have.
Mere months after Lee’s coronation as a team leader, if not a league star, a majority of Warriors fans want him out. It’s a bit incredible when you factor in how Lee avoided controversy. There are no bar fights, no home arrests, not even an unkind word about a teammate. It’s just his presence on the floor, combined with what happened in the brief time he spent off it.
Lee was crucial in getting the Warriors their first playoff berth in seven seasons. He helped carry Golden State across the bridge from mediocrity to competence. And now that the fans have had a taste of success, they crave a place beyond where Lee can take them.
STRAIGHT SHAQTIN A FOOL:
DeAndre Jordan is one of the most devastating finishers around the basket. On Wednesday against the Boston Celtics, he received an alley-oop pass from Chris Paul and looked to unleash a monster jam. Instead, he did something I have never seen anyone do in the history of basketball.
That should be entrenched in the Shaqtin A Fool hall of fame.
VIDEO OF THE DAY:
New York Knicks fans are stressed these days. Just ask this guy:
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