The Golden State Warriors got off to a rough start in the preseason, but they are finally starting to look like the team that the front office, the coaching staff, and the fans had envisioned in the offseason.
It’s apparent that the acquisition of Andre Iguodala has vastly transformed this team. His presence has elevated the Warriors from a low-seeded playoff team to a legitimate title contender in the Western Conference. His play in the Warriors’ last preseason game on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers in Shanghai was so impressive that everyone can now see why Iguodala was the missing piece of the puzzle for the Warriors.
He provides everything that the Warriors lacked last season. They lacked a wing player that could consistently attack the basket and play more like a slasher, instead of a shooter. They also lacked some athleticism and explosiveness, besides Harrison Barnes. In addition, they lacked someone who could create their shot when needed, especially in clutch situations. Iguodala is exactly the type of athletic, clutch wing player that the Warriors needed.
In the Warriors’ game on Friday against the Lakers, Iguodala had just four points, but he also had 14 assists, seven rebounds, and five steals. Not only is this an impressive stat line, but it’s one that Warriors fans could possibly see many times this season from Iguodala.
One word to describe Iguodala’s game is versatile. He displayed that versatility against the Lakers in Shanghai. Playing alongside scorers like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and David Lee means Iguodala doesn’t have to score that much for this team. That’s not his niche with the Warriors. His niche is doing a little bit of everything else, which he’s fine with. He’s at his best when he is contributing in many different ways. He can play point guard, he can set up his teammates, he can rebound, and he can play defense. He is truly the Swiss Army knife of this team.
Iguodala’s defense is another significant asset to the Warriors. The five steals that he got against the Lakers on Friday showed off his excellent anticipation on defense. He positions himself well in the passing lanes so that he can get steals or deflections. He also has quick reflexes, which allows him to react quickly to passes. In addition to these skills, he rebounds well for his size.
Iguodala’s ability to effectively play the point guard position is another reason why he makes the Warriors so much better. For example, Iguodala runs pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pops very well. He ran some pick-and-pops with Marreese Speights against the Lakers that were very effective. In general, the Warriors run several plays where Lee and Andrew Bogut set picks for Curry or Iguodala, so Iguodala’s stellar ability to assess a play after the pick has been set is extremely helpful to the Warriors’ offensive scheme.
Whether Iguodala is playing point guard or not, he’s also extremely valuable because of his willingness to attack the basket. He also isn’t afraid of contact at the rim. Because of his slashing and his ability to play point guard, he gives the Warriors options on offense that no one else does. He can drive and kick out to an open man, and when the Warriors do that, they’re almost unstoppable.
When he drives to the basket, defenders close in on him because of his ability to finish at the rim. Because of this, Thompson and Curry will get more open looks at the three-point line. Iguodala is great at using his peripheral vision and being aware of where his teammates are on the court. He has quickly learned where each of his teammates like receiving the ball, where they like to shoot, etc. His chemistry with Thompson and Curry is clearly becoming stronger, because he executed many drives-and-kicks with them on Friday against the Lakers.
The Warriors are also at their best when in transition. They play lockdown defense, which leads to more steals, which creates more opportunities in transition. Iguodala is excellent in the open court. He’s quick, he makes good decisions in transition, and he times his passes well. Against the Lakers on Friday, he dished the ball to his teammates in transition, and he also got an open dunk in transition after he stole the ball.
The Warriors are a much improved basketball team this year. They had a successful year last season, but, this season, they are a serious title contender. Iguodala is a significant reason why the Warriors are arguably one of the best teams in the NBA.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
