The Golden State Warriors take their show on the road to Utah to face the Jazz after a six game home stand. The Dubs protected their home court and went a perfect 6-0. However, the best thing that happened to the Warriors last week was the return of Andrew Bogut.
The big man returned on January 7th against the Indiana Pacers and played 15 minutes. He played 20 minutes against the Cavs and his playing time is likely to increase. According to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle, Bogut could reclaim his place in the starting five soon:
Steve Kerr says Andrew Bogut will start soon, maybe Monday.
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) January 10, 2015
The Warriors missed Bogut and they are very excited to have him back. Not only is his defense superb, but the offense flows much better with him in the post. Bogut is an excellent passer and he can hit cutters with precision. Bogut’s toughness adds another dimension to this team and it allows Marreese Speights to return to the second unit.
Speights has been playing well in Bogut’s absence, but he will continue to excel with the reserves. He is averaging 12.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, making him a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year. This team is deep and with Bogut back in the starting lineup, they will have plenty of depth to manage Bogut’s minutes and keep him healthy.