The Golden State Warriors fired head coach Mark Jackson after failing to make it out of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs last year. Many thought it was an unfair firing considering they won 51 games, had to face a Los Angeles Clipper team, and they didn't have Andrew Bogut.
That last part might seem like the least important, but Bogut is perhaps the most crucial piece to the Warriors making a deep run in the playoffs.
In his absence, Golden State was forced to play David Lee at center, who, while a good player, is only 6'9". That size disadvantage caused the Warriors to play almost exclusively on the perimeter (which they're capable of doing with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson), and allowed for the Clippers to own the paint.
Bogut has never been the most athletic guy on the court and isn't overly skilled offensively, but his presence to guard opposing big guys down low, rebound the ball, and score from the block totally changes Golden State's attack. At seven feet tall, he alters shots, limits opposing drives to the paint, and is just an annoyance while he's on the court. His size and strength gives the Warriors a rebounding boost and he's great on the offensive glass, which often leads to open shots for Curry and Thompson.
New head coach Steve Kerr may have to limit the amount of minutes that Bogut plays during the regular season to make sure he's healthy and rested for the playoffs. If Golden State wants to challenge the big guns in the West, Bogut is going to have to be the guy to level the playing field.
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