With the NBA Finals just a day away, one of the biggest storylines is the status of small forward Andre Iguodala. The veteran has already been ruled out for Game 1 as he deals with a knee injury.

Fortunately, Iguodala is confident about his looming return. According to ESPN's Chris Haynes, he could soon be back out on the court this series:

Andre Iguodala: “I’m not too far” from returning.

Iguodala's comments are music to the ears of Warriors fans everywhere. His absence was one of the reasons why Golden State struggled so mightily against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals.

It is difficult to imagine this Warriors' team actually feeling like they were short-handed against the Rockets. Especially with four healthy All-Stars in the lineup. However, it has become apparent that Iguodala's impact goes far beyond what shows up on the stat sheet. That became clear once Houston was able to win back-to-back games following his injury in Game 3.

Iguodala's absence does more than just take away Golden State's chance of going with the “Hamptons 5” lineup. It also leaves them without their best defensive matchup for small forward LeBron James. In fact, his defense on James was one o the main reasons he took home Finals MVP a few years ago.

That said, it is clear that the Warriors are hoping to get Iguodala back as soon as possible. Golden State will have a chance to get started on the right foot with a Game 1 victory in his absence.