[ BasketBall] Warriors’ Andre Iguodala Re-emerges in His Season of Sacrifice

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• published: 13 Jun 2015
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With the intricately structured salary cap in the N.B.A., depth is a luxury most teams cannot afford. The value of having options beyond your superstars was on full display in Game 4 of the N.B.A. finals on Thursday night when Andre Iguodala led the Golden State Warriors to a road win that evened the series at two games apiece. For the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers, who have endured devastating injuries to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, Golden State’s ability to insert Iguodala, a former All-Star still in his physical prime, into the starting lineup had to be demoralizing. The talk in the N.B.A. finals about Iguodala had been of his sacrificing his starting spot for the good of the team. By dominating on both ends of the floor and guiding Golden State to an easy 103-82 win in Game 4, he changed the conversation. The talk in the N.B.A. finals about Iguodala had been of his sacrificing his starting spot for the good of the team. By dominating on both ends of the floor and guiding Golden State to an easy 103-82 win in Game 4, he changed the conversation. Continue reading the main story Related Coverage LeBron James got a cut on his head after falling into a TV camera in Game 4 of the N.B.A. Finals on Thursday. LeBron James’s ‘Slight’ Headache a Big Deal in the N.B.A. FinalsJUNE 12, 2015 Andre Iguodala of the Warriors dunking during the first half. Iguodala finished the game with 22 points, tied for the team high. Warriors 103, Cavaliers 82: N.B.A. Finals: Golden State Warriors Get Mad and Pull Even With Cleveland CavaliersJUNE 12, 2015 The victory pose of Serena Williams after she defeated Lucie Safarova in the French Open final on Saturday for her 20th Grand Slam singles title. On Pro Basketball: Serena Williams Is a Star Who Matches LeBron James, From a Different CourtJUNE 11, 2015 Timofey Mozgov, dunking over Festus Ezeli, was once an undrafted free agent, but he is proving his value in the playoffs. N.B.A. Finals: Cavaliers’ Supporting Cast Has Been OverlookedJUNE 10, 2015 With injuries leaving LeBron James surrounded by role players, the Cavaliers have to run their offense through him even more than usual. LeBron James’s Dominance in N.B.A. Finals Is HistoricJUNE 10, 2015 Iguodala had come off the bench in his previous 95 games this season after never having done so in his first 10 N.B.A. seasons, including last season with Golden State. But in Game 4 he started in place of Andrew Bogut, and he had 22 points and 8 rebounds. Iguodala’s impact was far greater than that; two breakaway dunks and a few key 3-pointers helped add some bounce that had been missing from the Warriors’ step in this series. On the defensive end, he continued to keep the Cavaliers’ LeBron James honest despite being frequently asked to guard him one-on-one. Warriors Coach Steve Kerr, who acknowledged that he had lied when he said he would stay with the lineup that he had started in Games 1 to 3, preserving the team’s element of surprise, said the decision to go small and start Iguodala was easy. Keeping Score A regular analytical, statistics-based sports column. The 50th M.L.B. Draft Unfolds With a Surprise Factor JUN 7 Bringing In the Righty. And the Lefty. JUN 5 A Golden State Warriors Fan Tries to Look at the Series Objectively JUN 3 Marlins’ Gordon Tries to Match Notable Names: Cobb. Sisler. Snuffy Stirnweiss. MAY 30 By Now, Weary Rangers Fans Know the Score (It’s Probably 2-1) MAY 16 See More » “I mean, he looks great out there,” Kerr said. “He’s been our best player through four games.” To those who adhere to basketball’s increasingly complex statistics, Iguodala’s emergence in the finals may come as a surprise. A glance at his season shows averages of only 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3 assists a game. Advanced statistics do not paint a prettier picture: His player efficiency rating of 12.3 was well below the league average of 15, and his 0.117 win shares per 48 minutes ranked 12th on his team. But close watchers understand that if there is an argument against statistics as the final word on basketball evaluation, it should include Iguodala, who befuddles defenses by being able to split the lane and dunk over a center as well as knock down a 3-pointer over the hands of a leaping guard. His presence opens space on the court for the team’s talented shooters, and he consistently looks for an open teammate before considering a shot for himself. On defense, his sacrifices come into play even more. The Warriors have largely abandoned the tactic of double-teaming James, an almost unstoppable force. James responded in the finals with some of the best raw statistics of his career, but at great effort, and in Game 4, Iguodala seemed to have worn down his bigger opponent, reminiscent of the rope-a-dope strategy by Muhammad Ali that so effectively toppled George Foreman.