Iguodala looking like his old self
Swingman sparks bench with season-high 24 points
ATLANTA — Warriors rookie Patrick McCaw sometimes types “Andre Iguodala” into YouTube. Because Iguodala’s athleticism has diminished in recent years, McCaw scrolls to highlights from the swingman’s prime seasons with the 76ers.
“Tonight, it was definitely glimpses of the old Iguodala,” McCaw said after Golden State’s 119-111 win Monday over the Hawks.
Typically content to defer to teammates and guard the opponent’s best scorer, Iguodala, 33, has returned to his aggressive, acrobatic ways with Kevin Durant sidelined by a left knee injury. Iguodala needed only eight shots to score a seasonhigh 24 points against Atlanta because he hit four three-pointers and went 8-for-11 from the foul line.
By pairing that scoring outburst with five rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block and no turnovers, Iguodala became the NBA’s first bench player to record such a line since Indiana’s Detlef Schrempf in 1992. It was the most memorable performance on a night when six Warriors finished in double figures.
Without Durant for the third
straight game, Golden State’s bench outscored Atlanta’s reserves 55-37. McCaw (nine points, seven rebounds), David West (10 points) and Ian Clark (10 points) were just a few of the role players who complemented Iguodala, Stephen Curry (24 points, nine assists), Draymond Green (12 points, eight rebounds, six assists, four steals) and Klay Thompson (13 points, all in the second half ).
“With the weapons we have, even with a guy down, we’re still capable of doing some good things,” Iguodala said. “We just have to pay attention to the details.”
This five-city, eight-day road gantlet has brought its share of adversity: the loss of Durant for at least four weeks, the franchise’s first regular-season skid since April 2015, a prolonged shooting slump from Curry and Thompson. To help end the trip with two wins, the Warriors leaned heavily on Iguodala.
The player who has long dealt with an achy back and a nagging hamstring injury topped the 30-minute mark in victories over the Knicks and Hawks. On Monday, he looked like the Iguodala who was named an All-Star in 2012. After JaVale McGee deflected a Paul Millsap layup attempt late in the first quarter, Iguodala caught a pass from Curry and hammered home a vicious dunk.
Timely baskets from Iguodala and Curry helped Golden State dig out of a 15-point, second-quarter hole. Atlanta guard Dennis Schroder, who scored 19 of his 23 points in the first quarter, was benched midway through the third after arguing with Dwight Howard over an errant pass. With Schroder watching, his team appeared to tire down the stretch.
“Our bench was tremendous,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “They did a great job getting us back in the game in the second quarter.”
In his 13th NBA season, Iguodala is averaging a career-low 6.7 points per game. Still, his teammates recognize his value. Iguodala is a plus-minus master adept at setting screens, ratcheting up the tempo and protecting the ball. The Warriors are 15-0 in the regular season and playoffs when he scores at least 20 points.
Though easily the best small forward available, Iguodala hasn’t moved into the starting lineup with Durant out because Kerr appreciates what he brings the second unit. The hope moving forward is that Iguodala’s body can handle the increased minutes.
“He’s still got it,” Kerr said. “I told him during the game that he looks like he’s 25 again.”
In the visiting locker room late Monday night, with most of his teammates gone, Iguodala sauntered over to Curry to borrow some Vaseline. Rubbing it on his chest and back is part of his postgame routine.
“Today, I felt pretty good,” Iguodala said. “I’ve been feeling good this whole road trip. Honestly, the whole year.”