Andrew Bogut is Golden State's Key to Winning Game 6 in Oklahoma City
By Jason McIntyre
For the first time in the Western Conference Finals, Oklahoma City is favored in a game. They’re 2-point favorites against the defending champs Saturday night in OKC. That’s not a total surprise given how badly the Thunder slaughtered the Warriors in Games 3 and 4 (losses by 28 and 24, respectively).
Golden State held on to win Game 5 at home, but the key wasn’t Stephen Curry’s return (31 points, seven rebounds, six assists, five steals) or Draymond Green’s intangibles (five offensive rebounds, four blocks).
It was Andrew Bogut.
The Warriors “Lineup of Death” with Green at center, simply wasn’t working against the longer, taller Thunder at either end. OKC countered with 7-footer Kevin Durant at power forward, and the Warriors got punished inside. Worse yet, they had no rim protector, so Russell Westbrook and Durant drove with impunity and either got fouled, scored, or dished to an open teammate for a layup.
Bogut changed all that.
The former No. 1 pick from Utah who led the league in blocked shots in 2011 didn’t pick up silly fouls, wasn’t stone hands at the offensive end, and most importantly served as a force inside defensively, making the Thunder settle for jump shots. When they did drive, they struggled to finish.
The real question is whether or not this defense can continue on the road in Game 6. Bogut’s numbers for this series in Games 1-4 for modest: 12 points, 17 rebounds, 13 fouls.
His explosion in Game 5: 15 points, 14 rebounds. He had two blocks; Bogut only had three in the first four games combined.
Billy Donovan and the Thunder will adjust, obviously – they’ll pull whoever Bogut is guarding away from the rim to open up the lane. Steve Kerr had the Warriors in a pseudo-zone in Game 5 with Bogut as the last line of defense and it worked. When Donovan pulls Bogut away from the basket – in the pick and roll, or with Ibaka to the 3-pointer line, how will Kerr counter?