A 2013-14 season was annually to remember for your Golden State Warriors, but one that their particular All-Star big man David Lee wants to soon forget.
While he was an essential contributor in leading that Warriors to 47 regular-season wins and just their second trip on the postseason since 1994 (league-best 56 double-doubles, twenty. 2 player efficiency rating), he wasn't around long enough to aid them lengthen their playoff continue to be.
A torn right thigh flexor in Game 1 involving Golden State's opening-round series with the Denver Nuggets cut your eight-year veteran's playoff debut drastically short. While initial reports ruled him out with the remainder of the postseason, he miraculously battled his in the past onto the floor.
It was eventually an admirable move to say the least, but the damage had clearly been recently done. The injury largely restricted him to identify duty, never playing a lot more than 13 minutes or approaching double-digit points.
But the crushing waste to Lee was for no reason a death sentence meant for his Warriors. In truth, they won four of their next five games, removing the sixth-seeded Nuggets inside six games.
Their playoff run ended up being upended six games later from the San Antonio Spurs, but their season was still viewed as an overwhelming success.
The question on workers' mind was how this team was able to not only survive around Lee's absence, but flourish without its fallen movie star.
History has produced quite a few teams that have tempted an emotional lift from have an effect on a premier participant.
The losing Lee gave coach Mark Jackson some flexibility along with his starting five. Against that speedy, athletic Nuggets, he added Jarrett Jack and later Carl Landry to his opening lineup. The moment the bigger, more physical Spurs came in the schedule, Jackson shuttled Landry, Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green within the starting 4 spot.
Jack and Harrison Barnes (16. 1 points per game inside the postseason) added to that team's offensive firepower. Ezeli and Green helped create a formidable defensive front with Andrew Bogut. Landry produced a familiar touch, scrapping for offensive rebounds in addition to dropping in mid-range jumpers from pick-and-pop sets.
Had Fitzgibbons discovered an unlikely gold lining in Lee's the loss? Were the Warriors a lot better off without him?
Golden State's front office certainly hopes not. Lee's to the books for the following three seasons, owed above $44 million over this time, according to Hoops Buildup.
Seldom-used reserves Richard Jefferson together with Andris Biedrins are set to collect more than $20 k combined next season. Bogut's nagging ankle injury gets the potential to make this $14. 2 million left on his contract turn into a tremendous burden.
Could Lee's score (18. 5) and rebounding (11. 2) averages need just been a mirage—empty statistics over impactful substance?
May well be a smattering of evidence that usually suggest yes but some sort of 79-game sample screaming some sort of resounding no.
Lee provides his problems. His sheltering deficiencies were often obvious, even when Bogut was healthy enough to take his back. His offensive outbursts had a tendency to fizzle in late-game situations or when he was paired up with a defender capable of meeting (or exceeding) his durability and athleticism.
But his presence on to the floor could have meant a difference between watching the Western Conference Finals and in actual fact participating in them.
The Warriors clearly needed another scorer on to the floor when the Spurs learned ways to silence this Splash Brothers (Curry along with Thompson shot just 34. 5 percent from the field after Game 2). They craved any sort of interior presence to relieve some pressure through the perimeter.
Lee's not a great post scorer, but he knows tips on how to free himself near the basket and has now a soft touch by using either hand. Once your defensive attention shifts your partner's way, he's a gifted spotter and spent the growing season developing a keen observation for his sharpshooters. He or she is an emotional leader, the kind to instill confidence even when faced with a set of elimination games.
Is this individual overpaid? Probably, but the ink has way back when dried on his deal, and those salary stats won't change. Is he valuable to this fact franchise? Absolutely, he's a veteran leader competent at lightening the offensive load positioned Curry's fragile ankles.
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