The Golden State Warriors changed up their lineup for Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, choosing to start Andre Iguodala over Harrison Barnes. Iguodala's defense was vital down the stretch of Game 6 on both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and he had a huge impact on the Dubs' victory on Monday's Game 7 to send them back to the NBA Finals.
Moving forward, the Warriors have not clarified if Iguodala will continue to be the starter, or if Barnes will return to the spot. When asked about the matter, Barnes stated that he had “no idea.”
Harrison is preparing himself for whatever role he's asked to fulfill. From “The Damon Bruce Show” on 95.7 The Game:
“It's not necessarily about starting or coming off the bench or anything like that,” Barnes said. “I'm going to be ready to play Game 1 of the Finals whether I play 20 minutes off the bench or start and play 35, whatever it is. I'm going to do my job because … there is no better feeling than hoisting that championship trophy. That's what we're in it for.”
In the regular season, Barnes started 59 times while Iguodala did so just once. Head coach Steve Kerr has usually opted to utilize Iggy to solidify the second unit, but just like in last year's Finals, it appears that he wants his defensive presence on the floor in a larger capacity.
It worked out pretty well in 2015 against the Cavs; he earned the NBA Finals MVP award.
[button width=”full” button size=”bigger” color=”custom” align=”center” textcolor=”#ffffff” texthcolor=”#ffffff” bgcolor=”#8b0000″ link=”https://clutchpoints.com/delta-airlines-flight-entertainment-system-already-thinks-warriors-won-2016-nba-finals/”]NEXT: Delta Airlines’ in-flight entertainment system already thinks the Warriors won the 2016 NBA Finals[/button]
Follow Us
Subscribe