It’s been almost three years now since Andrew Bogut was an elite NBA center. Bogut encouraged Warriors fans with flashes of excellence last year (including a 14-point, 21-rebound performance in the decisive Game 6 win over Denver), but generally he’s been a far cry from the dominant defensive player that made the All-NBA third team in 2009-2010.
A great deal of the Warriors success this season will depend on Bogut – if he can’t stay healthy and provide productive minutes, the Warriors will be forced to rely on Jermaine O’Neal (who turns 35 in October) and David Lee (who doesn’t have the size to guard most NBA centers).
With Golden State’s wealth of scorers, no one expects Bogut to create points on his own. However, the Warriors will need Bogut’s defensive production to improve now that he’s no longer rehabbing from injury – in 56 games since April 2011, Bogut has averaged 8.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game – not bad, but a clear decline from the 11.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game he averaged in 2010-2011.
Warriors fans generally blame Bogut’s diminished output on his ankle fracture back in January 2012, but that oversimplifies his complicated injury history. Bogut was having a stellar 2009-2010, but in April 2010 he dislocated his shoulder and broke his wrist during a game against the Phoenix Suns. He’s also sprained his foot during his second year in the NBA, and a stress fracture in his back sidelined him for much of the 2008-2009 season.
Bogut won’t average 16 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocker per game like he did in 2008-2009, but his solid footwork and intensive off-season training regimen are encouraging signs that he’ll continue to rebound well into the foreseeable future. We’ve heard that Bogut was moving extremely well during training sessions at his Australian basketball center this summer, and if he stays healthy, it’s reasonable to expect him to put up around 8 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per contest.
Back to the Golden State Warriors Newsfeed