Andrew Bogut has always been a valuable player for the Golden State Warriors.
Think back to the 2015-16 season when Bogut won an NBA championship with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, a postseason in which one of his best games came against the Oklahoma City Thunder when he dropped 15 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks.
Bogut is now back with the Warriors after spending most of the NBA’s regular season playing professionally in Australia, and he’s still as valuable to the team as he was in 2015.
His value stems from his knowledge of the game on both sides of the ball.
This is the perfect team for Bogut to come back to. A veteran with playoff experience with the same team, if not a better one.
What a luxury for Golden State to have the trusty Bogut as their new starting big man for the remainder of this postseason thanks to a quad injury sustained by DeMarcus Cousins.
Communication is Key:
His communication is the key to his defense.
What makes Bogut and Green a fearsome defensive duo is that they communicate well and always have since 2015. A team without communication can lose its traction real fast. Communicating through the noise is one of the things that powers the best teams, and the Warriors have that thanks to the likes of Bogut.
“Bogut doesn’t care,” Head Coach Steve Kerr said about the veteran. “He yells. You’re watching the game and you’re near the court, you can hear him constantly.”
Bogut is averaging 5.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and three assists against the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs.
He matches up well against Montrez Harrell and Ivica Zubac because he can position himself well around the rim and beat them up on the glass.
Bogut was awarded Most Valuable Player of Australia’s NBL League for the 2018-19 season. After the 2019 NBA All-Star break, he returned to the Warriors not even a full month before the NBA Playoffs.
With the unfortunate quad injury Cousins suffered in Game 2 against the Clippers, Bogut has had an increase in minutes and found himself in the starting lineup again for the Warriors.
On both ends of the ball, Bogut fits the centerpiece for the Warriors. His effect on the team is more valuable then people think and it’s time we start giving him the credit he deserves.
