Golden State Warriors: Starting Lineup Stats Analysis

Andre Iguodala

Andre Iguodala’s biggest areas of impact aren’t measured in stats or averages of any kind, but rather the little things, like disrupting the flow of the offense with a tipped pass or making an opponent take a contested jumper thanks to a strong closeout.

There are advanced stats that measure a lot of these things, of course, such as his 3.1 defensive win shares, but some of these numbers also are affected by teammates, so they are not an entirely accurate way to measure a player’s individual defensive worth.

A few numbers that we can key on for Iguodala, who last season became the first Warrior to earn NBA All-Defensive First Team honors since Nate Thurmond did it in 1970, are his plus/minus, defensive rating, and how the team performs without him.

Starting with his plus/minus, Iguodala led the entire NBA in this category, averaging a 9.0 differential while on the court.  He also logged a defensive rating of 96.8, good for eighth in the league amongst qualified players

Another way to measure Iguodala’s individual impact on the defensive end is to take a look at how the team performs while he is on the bench.  With Iguodala in the lineup, the Warriors went 41-22 but posted just a 10-9 record without him.

It may not seem like it due to his low offensive numbers per game, but the Warriors struggled on both ends of the court without Iguodala. The team’s offensive rating drops from 110.5 all the way down to 99.8, and they go from allowing 96.8 points per 100 possessions with him on the court to 103.1 with him off.