Golden State Warriors reserve guard Shaun Livingston had a vintage performance right when the defending champions needed it most. Livingston played a vital role in the Golden State's series-clinching victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic detailed how the 6-foot-7 mid-range specialist has been a shell of his 33-year old self this season and how this has impacted the Warriors' thinning bench unit.
Shaun Livingston, staring down the barrel of retirement, has been frustrated much of the season. His body aches and knee swells worse than before. His impact, as a result, has waned. The decline of this Warriors bench, in some ways, is tied to Livingston’s decline, from the best seventh man in the world to a guy just trying to tread water on the court.
Livingston, a three-time NBA champion, has been vocal about his frustrations with his play and how his body has failed to hold up this season. This has, in turn, has led the 33-year old to contemplate retirement at season's end.
With all that's been said, Livingston's performance in Game 6 is something he needed and wanted to have so badly:
“I just needed one game, man,” Livingston told The Athletic. “I’ve been searching so hard. It’s been so up and down, more than any year I’ve been here.”
The Warriors needed every bit of Livingston's vintage outing in Game 6. Livingston contributed 11 points and was a +14 in 14 important minutes off the bench for the two-time defending champions. He provided them with play-making, made a signature mid-range turnaround in a crucial stretch, and even got up for a youthful jam in transition in the second quarter.
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