Andre Iguodala Ruled Out For Game 1 Of Finals
Andre Iguodala will miss his fifth consecutive game this Thursday, according to the Warriors, who issued a press release today officially ruling out the veteran forward for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Warriors, who continue to call Iguodala’s injury a left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise, suggest that the 34-year-old is making progress, but is still experiencing pain and nerve inflammation. He’ll be re-evaluated prior to Game 2, according to the club.
League sources told ESPN’s Chris Haynes earlier this week that Iguodala recently received a second opinion on his troublesome left knee in an effort to address the issue. However, he has had no luck so far as he seeks a remedy for the injury. Head coach Steve Kerr had said prior to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals that Iguodala’s body “has not responded at this point.”
Iguodala suffered the injury during Game 3 of the Western Finals when he bumped knees with James Harden.
While Iguodala’s absence may help open up the Cavaliers’ offense, considering the veteran is often tasked with guarding LeBron James, Cleveland has an injury of its own to worry about — Kevin Love remains in the NBA’s concussion protocol and his availability for Game 1 of the Finals is very much in doubt.
Latest On Andre Iguodala, Kevin Love
The Warriors and Cavaliers are gearing up for a fourth straight NBA Finals matchup after having made it through their respective Conference Finals without key contributors. Andre Iguodala missed the last four games of the Western Conference Finals with a left knee injury, while Kevin Love sat out Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals as he remained in the concussion protocol.
Iguodala’s status for Game 1 on Thursday is still up in the air, according to Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News, who writes that the veteran swingman can walk – but not run – without pain. League sources tell ESPN’s Chris Haynes that Iguodala recently got a second opinion on his troublesome left knee in an effort to address the issue.
According to Haynes, Iguodala plans to search in the coming days for a remedy to the injury, which the Warriors are calling a left lateral leg contusion. Head coach Steve Kerr had said prior to Game 7 of the Western Finals that the 34-year-old’s body “has not responded at this point.”
Meanwhile, Love’s availability for Game 1 of the NBA Finals is also uncertain. Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue said on Tuesday morning that the team’s starting power forward remains in the concussion protocol, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Love will need to be cleared of possible concussion symptoms before he’s permitted to suit up again for the club.
If Iguodala and Love remain on the shelf for Game 1, Kevon Looney and Jeff Green are the most likely candidates to take their spots in the starting lineups.
Draft Workouts: Jazz, Warriors, Knicks, Suns
The Jazz worked out Shake Milton (SMU), Angel Delgado (Seton Hall), Theo Pinson (North Carolina), Omari Spellman (Villanova), Thomas Wilder (Western Michigan) and Elijah Stewart (USC) on Monday, according to team’s Twitter feed. Milton, a borderline first-round guard prospect ranked No. 34 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, headlined that group.
The Jazz will host six more prospects on Tuesday — Kameron Chatman (Detroit), Sedrick Barefield (Utah), Kenneth Ogbe (Utah Valley), Dayon Goodman (Westminster), Tyler Rawson (Utah) and Ryan Richardson (Weber State) (Twitter links).
We have more draft workout news:
- Wichita State’s Landry Shamet worked out for the Warriors on Sunday, Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com tweets. The point guard is ranked No. 42 by Givony.
- Syracuse swingman Tyus Battle, rated No. 32 by Givony, worked out for the Knicks on Friday, Zagoria reports in another tweet. Small forward Brian Bowen, who was ineligible to play college ball last season, worked out for New York the same day and the Lakers on Sunday.
- The Suns brought in UCLA’s Aaron Holiday and Anfernee Simons, who spent a post-grad year at IMG Academy, and four other prospects on Monday, the team tweets. Holiday is rated No. 17 by Givony while Simons is ranked No. 21. Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky), Tony Carr (Penn State), Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (Kansas) and Bruce Brown (Miami, Fla.) joined them.
Andre Iguodala Out For Game 7
Warriors forward Andre Iguodala will miss his fourth consecutive game, head coach Steve Kerr confirmed today (Twitter link via Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News). Iguodala, who hasn’t suited up since Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, won’t play in Game 7 on Monday night.
“He’s frustrated,” Kerr said of Iguodala, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). “His body has not responded to this point.”
Iguodala bumped knees with James Harden in Game 3 and was diagnosed with a left knee bone bruise, which has hobbled him over the last week. In his absence, Kevon Looney has started the last three games for the Warriors — the Rockets won the first two of those three contests, but Golden State pulled out Game 6, with Chris Paul sidelined for the Rockets.
While Iguodala’s injury won’t necessarily have the same impact on the outcome of the series as Paul’s will (CP3 is considered a game-time decision for Game 7), the veteran swingman is an important part of the Warriors’ rotation. Iguodala is arguably Golden State’s top perimeter defender, and is one-fifth of the club’s ultra-effective “Hamptons Five” lineup alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green.
It’s not clear what Iguodala’s availability would look like in the NBA Finals if the Warriors can grab a victory tonight in Houston.
Western Notes: Rockets, Jazz, Westbrook, Allen
The Rockets have reduced their rotation to seven players but they won’t use fatigue as an excuse for their second-half collapse against the Warriors in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry have all played more minutes per game than any Rockets player, Feigen notes. “Fatigue is never a factor in the playoffs,” Rockets forward Trevor Ariza told Feigen and other media members. “This is what we prepare for. This is what we work hard all summer for. They started playing harder. They started making shots. That’s it.”
Also around the Western Conference:
- The Jazz might keep their core group intact going into next season, GM Dennis Lindsey told Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News. “My best guess is the option that we’ll ultimately consider, is bringing the team back intact, but I don’t know what other things are going to come our way,” Lindsey said. In order to do that, they’d have to sign unrestricted free agent Derrick Favors and restricted free agent Dante Exum. If both players receive significant raises and the Jazz make other moves, they could find themselves close to the luxury tax. They currently have approximately $90MM in salary guarantees next season.
- If Paul George re-signs with the Thunder, it will deal a blow to the narrative that other stars don’t like playing with Russell Westbrook, Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman writes. That’s why Westbrook has made public statements about wanting George to return, saying he thinks George “definitely wants to be here,” Dawson adds.
- Duke combo guard Grayson Allen could be an option for the Kings if he slips into the second round, according to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. Sacramento holds the No. 36 overall pick and Allen is currently ranked No. 30 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Allen would be a fit because the Kings need guards who can provide size and shooting, Jones adds.
Iguodala, Looney Listed As Questionable For Game 7
7:22pm: Warriors coach Steve Kerr calls Iguodala doubtful for Game 7 but says the veteran forward is working around the clock to try to play, Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post tweets.
6:49pm: Warriors small forwards Andre Iguodala and Kevon Looney are both questionable to play in Game 7 against the Rockets on Monday, the Warriors’ public relations department tweets.
Iguodala has missed the last three games due to a left lateral leg contusion, suffered in Game 3 when he banged into James Harden. Looney’s addition to the injury list, due to a sore left toe, is a surprise. He has started in place of Iguodala.
Sounds as if at least one of them will play in the deciding game of the Western Conference Finals but if not, Golden State would be very thin at the wing position.
Golden State also lists guard Patrick McCaw as probable. McCaw received four minutes of playing time in Game 6, his first on-court appearance since injuring his back against the Kings on March 31st.
Of course, the Rockets have an even bigger injury issue with the uncertainty surrounding Chris Paul. Their starting point guard missed Game 6 and is questionable at best to play Monday.
Warriors Notes: Iguodala, McCaw, Green, Young
The bone bruise on Andre Iguodala‘s left knee is healing more slowly than the Warriors had hoped and he appears to be a long shot to play in Game 7, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Iguodala was declared out shortly before Game 6 and is officially listed as day-to-day, but coach Steve Kerr is pessimistic about his chances to return.
“We’re operating under the assumption he won’t play,” Kerr said.
Losing Iguodala has left the Warriors scrambling to find a fifth player to pair with their four All-Stars. Of the contenders, rookie Jordan Bell had the best plus/minus rating in Game 6 at +10, but he’s slow to react defensively and remains jumpy and prone to foul trouble, Slater writes. Kevon Looney has been starting in Iguodala’s absence, but the Rockets are scoring on him regularly and he doesn’t provide much offense. Shaun Livingston has looked best in that role, but Kerr prefers to limit him to 15 minutes per game.
There’s more Warriors news to pass along this morning:
- Saturday’s blowout allowed Patrick McCaw to see four minutes of action at the end of the game, Slater notes in the same story. McCaw, who missed nearly two full months after a frightening fall, was activated before Game 6. Slater suggests he could work his way into a larger role if the Warriors reach the NBA Finals. “Coach Kerr pulled me aside today and just [asked] me, how would I feel being active and suiting up and if we get up big to play three or four minutes at the end of the game,” McCaw said. “… I called my mom. I called my dad, let them know I would be putting my uniform on tonight.”
- Two years ago, Draymond Green was convinced he was about to be traded following a heated clash with Kerr, writes Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. However, Kerr denies the team ever considered such a move. “This guy is the best at what he does in the entire league,” he said. “At that point, he had already helped us win a title, and he’s in the prime of his career. Like, what are we talking about? The ‘Draymond problem’ wasn’t really that big of a problem. It was just: Can we help him channel his emotion and his energy in the right direction?'”
- Nick Young provided an unusual explanation for his defensive improvement in Game 6, relays Jace Evans of USA Today, saying former NBA star Dennis Rodman visited him in a dream. “He had the purple hair, all kinds of stuff,” Young said. “He told me, ‘Tomorrow you’re going to play a little defense,’ and I was like, ‘Nah that’s not my game, Dennis Rodman, why you in my dream?’ But it just so happened I played a little defense.”
Andre Iguodala Out For Game 6
Warriors forward Andre Iguodala will miss his third straight game tonight, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr confirmed the decision, relays Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Until he’s able to run without pain, I can’t play him,” Kerr told reporters at a pre-game press conference, adding that Iguodala’s status remains day-to-day.
The 34-year-old is dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee that he suffered when he bumped knees with James Harden in Game 3. The Rockets have won both games that Iguodala has missed and have a chance to close out the series tonight.
Kevon Looney, who has started the past two games in Iguodala’s absence, will likely get a starting assignment again tonight. Patrick McCaw was activated earlier today after missing nearly two months, but Kerr isn’t sure whether he will play, acknowledging that it’s a “tough” situation.
Iguodala was a valuable contributor before the injury, averaging 7.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.1 APG and 1.4 SPG in the playoffs and starting 12 of the 13 games in which he has appeared. He is an important component of the “Hamptons Five” lineup that makes Golden State so difficult to match up with.
Patrick McCaw To Be Activated For Game 6
2:38pm: Both McCaw and Iguodala are officially listed as questionable for tonight’s Game 6, per Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post.
1:36pm: The Warriors are planning to activate Patrick McCaw for Game 6 tonight against the Rockets, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. It would be the first time McCaw has played since he injured his back in a scary fall on March 31.
The Warriors have lost both games against the Rockets since Andre Iguodala injured his left leg in Game 3, and Iguodala remains questionable for Game 6, so perhaps Golden State is hoping McCaw will be able to mimic some of Iguodala’s talents should he still not be ready to go.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic reminds us that McCaw had trouble walking and sleeping for about a month after his injury, and that recovery was slow at first, meaning it’d be a monumental ask for the Warriors to expect too much out of McCaw in his first game back.
Before his injury, McCaw was averaging 4.0 points and 1.4 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game.
Details On 2018 NBA Playoff Pool Money
The NBA’s playoff pool money has increased to $20MM this season, up from $15MM for the last two years and $14MM for the two years before that, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. This pool represents money awarded to teams for certain achievements, which is then divvied up among the club’s players.
According to Zillgitt, the breakdown for 2018’s playoff pool money is as follows:
Regular season achievements:
- Best record in NBA (Rockets): $576,843
- No. 1 seeds in each conference (Rockets, Raptors): $504,737 each
- No. 2 seeds (Warriors, Celtics): $405,684 each
- No. 3 seeds (Trail Blazers, Sixers): $302,843 each
- No. 4 seeds (Thunder, Cavaliers): $238,001 each
- No. 5 seeds (Jazz, Pacers): $198,317 each
- No. 6 seeds (Pelicans, Heat): $135,263 each
Postseason achievements:
- Teams participating in first round (all playoff teams): $298,485 each
- Teams participating in Conference Semifinals (Rockets, Warriors, Jazz, Pelicans, Celtics, Cavaliers, Sixers, Raptors): $355,159 each
- Teams participating in Conference Finals (Rockets, Warriors, Celtics, Cavaliers): $586,898 each
- Losing team in NBA Finals (TBD): $2,346,947
- Winning team in NBA Finals (TBD): $3,541,896