By: Yama Hazheer
The Warriors’ management made a bold move in March 2012. Acquiring the injury-plagued Andrew Bogut for fan-favorite Monta Ellis was questionable in the moment, but it turned out to be the culture-changing move in hindsight.
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A 6-foot-3 starting shooting guard might never win a championship in the NBA. Defensive anchors almost always do.
Golden State chose to stick with the young Davidson product and it’s been more than beneficial for the squad. Stephen Curry has emerged as one of the faces of the league while Bogut is the second most valuable player on the roster in 2015.
Ellis is now rumored to be stirring up drama in Dallas with the mediocre Mavericks. Meanwhile, Bogut plays a key role in the offense and leads the defense for the best team in the NBA.
The 7-foot Australian keeps the Golden State offense afloat. He’s one of the best passing bigs in the league and has an extremely high basketball IQ. He sets many screens for shooters like Curry and Klay Thompson, resulting in high percentage shots, whether it’s a layup or an open jumper. It’s crucial to have a big-man set a screen when the team has two of the best shooters in the game.
The Warriors’ eFG% with Bogut in the game is at 55.9 compared to 52.8 when he’s off the court. Their offensive rating is also higher at 112.8 rather than a 111.3 when he’s on the sidelines.
But Bogut’s clear strength is his work on the defensive end of the ball. Opponent eFG% is 45 when he’s playing and 47.7 when he’s off the floor. Other teams have a 103 offensive rating when Bogut is not in the game and only a low 96 when he’s on the court. The difference is obvious.
He ranks 16th in the league with 1.7 blocks per game. He’s second in the league with a defensive rating of 94 and first in defensive box plus/minus at 5.5
Bogut only allows 40.5 percent of opponent field goals to go in around the rim. For comparison’s sake, DeAndre Jordan allows 48.8, Anthony Davis allows 48.7, Tim Duncan allows 46.7, Roy Hibbert allows 42.3, and Serge Ibaka allows 40.8 percent respectively.
Rim protection is one of the most essential traits in the league today. With the number of All-Star point guards able to penetrate and attack the basket, every legitimate title contender needs a big body able to hold their own in the paint. The Warriors have that in Bogut.
Bogut’s intelligence and energy on the defensive end lifts everyone else on the team. Draymond Green is one of the leading candidates to win Defensive Player of the Year and if Bogut played in more games, he could be the favorite right now.
The move that Joe Lacob and company agreed upon three years ago has changed the dynamic of the Warriors. Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, and Festus Ezeli were drafted, Andre Iguodala was acquired, Klay Thompson developed, and Shaun Livingston was brought on. Even Curry has stepped up to become a two-way player.
The Dubs went from a fast-pace team that focuses solely on offense to a powerhouse on both ends of the ball. Adding a veteran coach to the staff with a defensive background like Ron Adams was the cherry on top.
Golden State is 50-7 when Bogut plays. The offense plays with more confidence and opposing teams have a difficult time trying to game plan around the Warriors’ defensive excellence.
Andrew Bogut won’t be in the Hall of Fame, but his impact defensively is undeniable. Almost all defensive anchors get rewarded somehow, eventually. With the pace the Warriors are currently at, he might get his reward in June.