Kerr thinks Iguodala will return in Finals
As the Warriors struggle to find an answer for LeBron
James, they face an important question: When will their best James-stopper, forward Andre
Iguodala, return to the court? “I’m optimistic Andre will play at some point in the series,” Golden State head coach
Steve Kerr said after ruling out Iguodala for Game 2 on Sunday. “He has gotten better gradually, but there’s no way of knowing for sure at this point.”
Iguodala, 34, has missed six games with a left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise. Given the type of injury, the team has had a tough time putting a timetable on Iguodala’s return.
After Iguodala sustained the injury late in Golden State’s Game 3 win over Houston in the Western Conference finals, Kerr initially was optimistic that Iguodala would be back for Game 4. The pain has lingered, however, and Iguodala hasn’t fully participated in a practice in two weeks.
Speaking to reporters during NBA Finals Media Day on Wednesday, Iguodala was hopeful that he’d return at some point in the series. Without Iguodala, the Warriors have looked overwhelmed against James, who followed up his 51-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist gem in Game 1 with 29 points, nine rebounds and 13 assists in Game 2.
Even a less-than-100-percent Iguodala seemingly would be an upgrade. Outside of San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard,
Iguodala is arguably the best defensive option on James league-wide.
After Golden State lost two of its first three games in the 2015 NBA Finals to Cleveland, Kerr put Iguodala in the starting lineup. The Warriors won out as he helped hold James to 39.8 percent shooting for the series.
Anyone who questions Iguodala’s value needs only to look at how Golden State performs without him. In the past three NBA Finals against the Cavaliers, the Warriors are plus-141 with Iguodala on the court, minus-68 when he’s out of the lineup.
“He came into the huddle the other night in Game 1 with a great suggestion that we went with, and it worked,” Kerr said. “So, Andre knows the game as well as anybody, and I always welcome his input. … He’s doing everything he can while he’s on the sidelines to help us.”
McCaw’s journey: Little more than two months after he injured his spine on a scary fall during a win over the Kings, Patrick McCaw is earning playing time in the NBA Finals. “It’s a huge relief, to be honest, more than anything,” Kerr said of McCaw, who totaled seven minutes in Games 1 and 2. “Given his state that night, that was a terrifying moment for him and his family. So, it’s great to see how quickly he’s recovered.”