The Golden State Warriors need to finish the season 13-3 to break the Chicago Bulls single-season wins record. That seems pretty easy for a team that has lost only six times in its first 66 games, but it may not be so easy when you consider a couple of factors. The first factor is the fact that Steve Kerr considers rest more important than the record, and the other is Andre Iguodala's injury.
Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are the most talked about Warriors and rightfully so as they are All-Stars, but Iguodala may be just as important as all of them. He won the Finals MVP last year, and one person who his value isn't lost on is his head coach.
Iguodala injured his ankle against the Blazers Friday night and was seen leaving the arena using an umbrella as a crutch. X-rays on the ankle were negative, but an MRI revealed a sprain, and the Warriors ruled him out for at least two weeks with the injury.
He has missed two games with the injury so far, and the Warriors won both, but Kerr said that losing him is a "big deal." Kerr said that not only is Iguodala extremely important for everything the Warriors do on the court, but he is also a huge emotional leader for the team. The 12-year veteran doesn't even start for the Warriors, but plays important minutes off the bench and provides lock-down defense while also being able to handle the ball and knock down the long ball.
The Warriors will, obviously, be cautious with the former Finals MVP considering their place in the standings, but Kerr said his main goal for the rest of the season is to have Iguodala healthy for the playoffs. Kerr added that the hope is to have him back way before the playoffs even start, but the main objective is to ensure his health for the postseason.
This team is certainly deep enough to be able to win the required amount of games to break the record even without Iguodala, but it will certainly make it much harder. Kerr is doing the right thing by valuing health over the record as the Warriors have the bigger picture in mind. They want to get the record, but they would prefer to win back-to-back championships. Last season, Iguodala showed just how important he was to that championship run, so it is understandable that they will proceed with caution for the rest of the regular season.
