Golden State Warriors Mailbag: MVP Race, Playoff Concerns, Iguodala

February 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) looks on during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Mavericks 128-114. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

I definitely think that Iguodala will have a bigger role during the playoffs because of his high value to the team and his playoff experience.

Iguodala already plays a significant role on this Warriors team. He provides the Warriors with much more than what can be seen in a box score. He’s a facilitator, he’s a defensive stalwart, he’s an experienced veteran, he’s a highly intelligent leader, and he’s a selfless teammate. He also adds athleticism and quickness to the Warriors’ roster.

In the playoffs, all of these skills and qualities will be greatly valuable to the Warriors, as they hope to make an even deeper playoff run this year than they have in the past two seasons. Typically in the playoffs, rotations get shortened, and the key players are asked to play longer, more significant minutes. The Warriors will certainly do this in the playoffs, and because of this, Iguodala could see more minutes.

So far this season, Iguodala has averaged 27.2 minutes per game, which is high for a bench player. In the playoffs, Iguodala could potentially play more minutes and take away minutes from Harrison Barnes, possibly Shaun Livingston, and possibly whatever minutes that Leandro Barbosa and Justin Holiday would’ve played in the regular season.

Offensively, Iguodala will probably continue to be more of a facilitator than a scorer in the playoffs, with Curry and Thompson remaining as the main scorers, but his three-point shooting and fast break scoring will definitely become bigger factors in the playoffs.

Defensively, Iguodala will continue to play a large role in the playoffs. His ability to anticipate and attack the passing lanes, his elite one-on-one defense, his ability to guard multiple positions, and his quickness, good instincts, and his intelligence on the defensive end are invaluable, especially in high-pressure situations like the playoffs.

Another valuable quality in the playoffs that Iguodala brings to the Warriors is his calm demeanor. He rarely gets overly emotional in a game, and he knows how to remain calm, no matter how intense a given moment or a given game is.

Iguodala is one of the leaders of this Warriors team, and even though he’s now a bench player for this team, he will play an even more significant role for the Warriors in the playoffs, defensively and offensively but also on and off the court.

Next: Warriors Closing in on First Pacific Division Title in 40 Years