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Golden State Warriors: Veteran Leadership

By Nathan Van Hoff

Mar 5, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Andre Iguodala (9) and power forward David Lee (10) celebrate during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Andre Iguodala (9) and power forward David Lee (10) celebrate during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 9, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) looks to attempt a shot next to Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12) in the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) looks to attempt a shot next to Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12) in the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

Andrew Bogut

Unlike Lee and Iguodala, Andrew Bogut hasn’t had to sacrifice his starting role—when healthy. Bogut has sacrificed touches on the offensive end since coming to Golden State from the Milwaukee Bucks.

Season Tm FG FGA FG% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK PTS
7 seasons MIL 5.4 10.4 .522 1.8 3.1 .574 2.8 6.5 9.3 2.3 0.7 1.6 12.7
3 seasons GSW 3.2 5.6 .564 0.4 1.0 .450 2.4 6.7 9.1 2.0 0.7 1.8 6.8

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/2/2015.

You can see from the chart above that he shoots the ball almost half as much for the Warriors as he did for the Bucks. Both his passing and defensive statistics are virtually the same.

Bogut’s passing ability is above average for a center and contributes to the Warriors ability to lead the league in that category.

While Bogut’s passing stands out among centers, his defense is what is most impactful for the Warriors. Among players defending at least five shots or more at the rim per game, Bogut is fifth in opponents field goal percentage at 41.7 percent, per NBA.com. For the entire game, he is holding his opponent to 38.9 percent shooting. That is 9.3 percent below their normal average, according to NBA.com.

Bogut also has the highest plus/minus on the Warriors when looking at on/off court difference of 19.3, per NBA.com. The Warriors are 19.3 points better with Bogut on the floor than off it. That number is almost hard to grasp.

The Warriors defensive rating with Bogut on the floor is 92.6, best on the team by almost two full points. That is for a Warriors team that already boasts the best defensive rating in the league of 97.1, per NBA.com.

The most telling stat supporting Bogut’s importance to the Warriors may simply be record. Five of the Warriors’ eight losses occurred without Bogut in the lineup. They are 28-3 in games that Bogut has been available to play.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the other young starters have garnered a lot of attention this year, and rightly so, but the veteran leadership and production provided by Lee, Iguodala and Bogut shouldn’t be overlooked. They’ve set the team first example that has driven the Warriors to new heights and allowed the younger players to blossom.

Come playoff time, their contributions will be key to whether the Warriors can deliver on the promise of their strong first half of the season.

Next: 50 Greatest Players Without A Championship

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