Kerr says Iguodala ‘doubtful’ for tonight
HOUSTON >> Andre Iguodala was officially listed as “questionable” Sunday for Game 7 against Houston, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr downgraded Iguodala to “doubtful” when he met with the media later in the day.
Iguodala, 34, hasn’t played since Game 3 when he bruised his left knee in a collision with Houston’s James Harden.
“It’ s a bone bruise,” Kerr said. “Bone bruises are not easily diagnosed in terms of when you know you’re going to come back from them. If Andre can play, he’ll play.
“It’s gone on this long and he’s had a lot of pain. We’ll just keep taking it day-by-day. But he’s doing everything he can to get out on the floor. He’s getting treatment several times a day. He’s doing all the right things. It just hasn’t responded yet. Hopefully that’s over soon.”
Two other players were listed on the injury report: Kevon Looney (questionable) and Patrick McCaw (probable).
Looney’s status seemed to catch Kerr by surprise. The third-year center, a starter the past three games, has a sore left toe. “I’ll question him tonight,” Kerr cracked, “and tell him he’s playing.”
As for McCaw, he played Saturday night for the first time since March 31 when he bruised his spine in a hard fall against the Sacramento Kings. In four minutes — the last four of the game — McCaw hit a 20foot jumper and grabbed two rebounds. From all indications, he will not be getting significant minutes Monday night.
“It’s still pretty early to throw him out in the middle of a Game 7,” Kerr said. “He just got four minutes for the first time in six weeks. That would be a lot to ask.”
• The Rockets wasted no time in ruling Chris Paul out of Game 6, but they are in no hurry about deciding his status for Game 7.
“I think it’s a gametime decision,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said Sunday.
Current status: “Probably doubtful, however they list it, or questionable. They will eventually test it and see if there’s any possibility whatsoever... The team doctors will check him out tomorrow morning and see how far he’s gotten and see what the possibilities are.”
Paul, 33, suffered an injury to his right hamstring in the final minute of Game 5, a game in which he willed his underdog team to victory and a 3-2 series lead. Paul, whose career has been cursed by untimely injuries, has never advanced this far in the playoffs in his 13 years with New Orleans, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Rockets.
As Game 7 approaches, memories are stirring of Willis Reed’s heroic efforts in the deciding game of the 1970 finals between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Reed, the Knicks center, had sustained a major injury in Game 5, a torn thigh muscle that kept him out of Game 6. He was expected to miss Game 7 as well, but when the Knicks came out for warmups, their captain was with them.
His thigh heavily wrapped, Reed scored the first two baskets of the game for the Knicks. He did not score again, limping through 27 minutes, but his courageous performance inspired the Madison Square Garden crowd and helped the Knicks to a 113-99 victory.
Ah, but those were different times. The NBA was a different game, slower and more stationary.
A better comparison for today would be Game 3 of the 1989 NBA Finals. That’s the one Magic Johnson tried to play after pulling his hamstring the previous game. He lasted five minutes and the Lakers went down in four games to the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons.
• Rookie Jordan Bell played 21 minutes Saturday night, a postseason high for the rookie, and it was a productive 21 minutes: six rebounds, three points, a blocked shot, an assists and some strong defense against James Harden.
Bell has gone from playing mop-up duty minutes in the first two rounds of the playoffs, to having a key role against the Rockets.
“The matchups didn’t favor Jordan the first two rounds,” Kerr said. “But this is a good matchup for him because of the perimeter pick-and-roll play and his ability to stay in front of people.”