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After missing his 7th consecutive game since straining his hamstring in a loss to the the Los Angeles Lakers back on November 22, 2013, Andre Iguodala still has no definitive timetable for a return to action.
However, today before the Memphis Grizzlies game, Iguodala posted this on Instagram: “Not for long tho!”, which suggests that his return is imminent.
Our @poormanscommish has speculated that the return could be as early as next week, December 21, 2013, ironically against the same Lakers, but at #Roaracle:
@WarriorsHuddle @Rusty_SFChron I'm guessing 3 wks ie @Andre'd be back for 12/21 vs LAL. I say this from personal exp. Hamstring pull="pop".
— Poor Man's Commish (@poormanscommish) December 7, 2013
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SF Chronicle beatwriter Rusty Simmons seemed to agree with the timetable:
@poormanscommish I like Dec. 21 as a target date. That's 4 weeks after the injury & would Iguodala a game to prep before returning to Denver
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) December 7, 2013
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The thinking is that the injury cannot be worse than, say, Jordan Farmar recent “moderately torn hamstring”, in which Farmar told Lakers sideline reporter Mike Trudell that he had had tightness in the hamstring already before tearing it. The Lakers have reported it will take at least four weeks for Farmar to heal from it.
Next Friday against these same Lakers would be the exact four-week mark for Iguodala.
The Warriors, who overcame a 27-point deficit to snap a two game home losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors at Oracle Arena last night, have struggled mightily since Iguodala went down in losing 4 of their last 7 games.
Although injuries to Stephen Curry, Toney Douglas and other key bench members certainly haven’t helped, losing their key off-season acquisition has definitively taxed the Warriors on both the offensive and defensive end.
Coach Mark Jackson reiterated this to Matt Schwab prior to Sunday’s win over the Sacramento Kings.
“It’s think it’s pretty obvious,” Jackson said before Sunday’s game of the impact of Iguodala’s absence. “He’s a bigtime playmaker on the offensive end. He’s another ball-handler for us. He’s a guy that has an extremely high IQ, understanding the offensive end and the defensive end. He helps out depth also, because now you bring Harrison (Barnes) off the bench. Now you have, I don’t want to say no nowhere to go with Harrison not on the bench, but that hurts us. “We went and got him for a reason, and when we don’t have him we’re still a good basketball team, but we’re not the same team.”
According to Jackson, however, Iguodala is inching closer although even that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be back this week.
Simmons via twitter relayed that he is beginning to do some light practice, but nothing that illustrates he’s anywhere ready to step back into action.
“The team has yet to decide if he will travel for the upcoming road trip, so he sounds like he’ll be in doubt for Friday’s game against Houston. Iguodala was shooting free throws at practice on Monday and hasn’t been doing much of note to suggest he’ll be back soon.”
Update:
We also reported Iguodala is with the team on the road trip, however is still not participating in team practices.
Mark Jackson says Andre Iguodala will go on the road trip, but he didn't practice today.
— LetsGoWarriors (@LetsGoWarriors) December 5, 2013
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The Warriors will be in Memphis tonight (12/7) and Charlotte Monday (12/9) before returning to Oracle Arena to play Dallas Wednesday (12/11).
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