Andre Iguodala Might Play in the 2018 NBA Finals After All

The Warriors have been without Andre Iguodala for quite some time as he has dealt with a bone bruise in his left knee. However, over the last few days, Iguodala has been making progress, signaling that his return could be on the horizon.

The last thing that the Cleveland Cavaliers wanted to hear as they look to rebound from an 0-2 deficit in the 2018 NBA Finals is some good news for the Golden State Warriors.

According to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, Andre Iguodala could be nearing a return to the Finals after not experiencing any pain in his left knee over the past few days. Iguodala was sidelined on May 20 with a bone bruise in his knee, but he was able to sprint and participate in a full personal workout for the first time since the injury occurred. "I aim to play in Game 3, but I've aimed to play in Game 2 and Game 3. We'll just have to see," Iguodala said to ESPN

Iguodala may not be as flashy of a name as Kevin Durant or Steph Curry, but his presence in the Warriors’ lineup cannot be overlooked. He's part of the team’s vaunted Hampton 5 lineup, which includes Curry, Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. In the NBA’s small ball era where versatile, lengthy players are more valuable than big men, the Hampton 5 allows the Warriors to play a style that reflects the current iteration of the league while giving them a talented group.

Even though the Warriors were able to finish off the Houston Rockets in seven games in the Western Conference Finals, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr believes the team wouldn't have let it go that far if Iguodala was playing. "We would have won the series in five if Iggy played," Kerr said, perReuters. If that isn't a glowing endorsement for how much Iggy means to the Warriors then we don't know what is. 

Game 3 will take place Wednesday, June 6 in Cleveland. 

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