Golden State Warriors Mailbag: Playoff Matchups, Thompson vs. Bogut, Lee
Mar 9, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and Klay Thompson (11) against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Warriors defeated the Suns 98-80. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
@MaggiePilloton Klay's injury begs the question: is he the most imp. player after Curry? We've seen this team struggle mightily w/o Bogut.
— Marc Grandi (@MarcGrandi) March 18, 2015
The great thing about the Warriors is that they have an MVP candidate in Curry, but they also have several other players that are significantly valuable and important to this Warriors team.
Thompson and Bogut are the leading candidates for second most important player on the Warriors behind Curry, but Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, and even Shaun Livingston are incredibly vital to the Warriors’ success too. Those players might round out the top-five or six most important players for Warriors, but let’s discuss both Thompson’s and Bogut’s importance.
Thompson’s progression as an all-around player has increased his importance to this Warriors team. He is able to drive to the basket more easily and fluidly now, which allows him to get to the free throw line more, and he’s able to score in multiple ways, not just in catch-and-shoot situations now, as he’s added pump fakes, fadeaway shots, and step-back shots to his repertoire.
In addition, Thompson has truly developed into an elite defender in the past couple seasons. He has good defensive instincts, and he moves his feet well for a 6-foot-7 player. He’s a good on-ball defender, in addition to help and switch situations. He can also defend three positions.
Thompson’s improvement has moved him up the list of important Warriors players, but his presence alone also significantly adds to the Warriors’ offense and defense. His ability to space the floor and knock down threes adds to the Warriors’ offense, and his long frame and quick feet make him extremely useful and versatile on the defensive end.
Bogut’s impact is more on the defensive end, since he’s not really considered a low-post presence on offense, but he does affect the Warriors’ offense with his passing. For a center, his passing is definitely elite, and it opens up opportunities for players like Harrison Barnes, Green, and, of course, the Splash Brothers.
Bogut’s primary role is on defense, but his effect on this team’s defense shouldn’t be taken lightly. He completely alters shots (in addition to blocking shots) and changes an opponent’s game plan. He also is the “captain” of the defense, as he calls out switches and screens to his teammates. He is the leader on defense, and he’s a large part of the Warriors’ defensive success the past couple seasons.
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Bogut’s health is vital to the Warriors’ success as a defense. When Bogut is healthy, the Warriors are a completely defensive team that is much more of a threat. Festus Ezeli, his backup, is also defensively strong, but he’s not quite the game changer that Bogut is.
Outside of Bogut and Ezeli, the Warriors’ bigs lack some defensive tenacity, with the possible exception of James Michael McAdoo. Although, McAdoo is still unproven and inexperienced.
The Warriors have proven that they can win when either one of these players is injured. It’s extremely hard to pick which player is more crucial to the Warriors’ success, because they’re both incredibly important. I would truly consider it a tie between Thompson and Bogut for the “title” of second most important Warrior, but if I had to choose, I’ll examine who is more replaceable, given the Warriors’ current roster.
As mentioned before, Ezeli is somewhat comparable to Bogut on the defensive end, but he doesn’t have the passing skills Bogut does. In terms of shooting guards, the Warriors have Justin Holiday and Leandro Barbosa, who are solid bench players, but they don’t exactly match up with Thompson, in terms of production and wide skill set, and they’re simply different players. Iguodala can play shooting guard, but, again, he has a completely different playing style than Thompson’s.
Given that argument, that might suggest that Thompson is harder to replace than Bogut and, therefore, the second most important Warrior behind Curry. However, as I said earlier, it could very well be a tie between these two players too.
Next: Will the Warriors Regret Not Trading DLee?