Kerr calls Iguodala "unsung hero" in Warriors" Game 6 win

Inside The NBA: Warriors vs Thunder - Game 6 Analysis | May 28, 2016 | 2016 NBA Playoffs

Photo: J Pat Carter, Getty Images

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 28: Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives against Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half in game six of the Western Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on May 28, 2016 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) less OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 28: Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives against Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half in game six of the Western Conference Finals during ... more Photo: J Pat Carter, Getty Images

Andre Iguodala had three steals in the final three mintues of Game 6, helping hold Russel Westbrook and Kevin Durant scoreless during that critical stretch.

Andre Iguodala had three steals in the final three mintues of Game 6, helping hold Russel Westbrook and Kevin Durant scoreless during that critical stretch.

Photo: Maddie Meyer, Getty Images Andre Iguodala (9) calls out a play in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Saturday, May 28, 2016. less Andre Iguodala (9) calls out a play in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Andre Iguodala (9) defends against a shot by Kevin Durant (35) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Saturday, May 28, 2016. less Andre Iguodala (9) defends against a shot by Kevin Durant (35) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Andre Iguodala (9) defends against a shot by Kevin Durant (35) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Saturday, May 28, 2016. less Andre Iguodala (9) defends against a shot by Kevin Durant (35) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Andre Iguodala defends against Russell Westbrook in the second half of the Warriors victory in Game 6.

Andre Iguodala defends against Russell Westbrook in the second half of the Warriors victory in Game 6.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Andre Iguodala (9) and Harrison Barnes (40) box out Serge Ibaka (9) from a rebound in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Saturday, May 28, 2016. less Andre Iguodala (9) and Harrison Barnes (40) box out Serge Ibaka (9) from a rebound in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Andre Iguodala (9) pats Stephen Curry (30) on the head after the Golden State Warriors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-101 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Saturday, May 28, 2016.

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Andre Iguodala (9) pats Stephen Curry (30) on the head after the Golden State Warriors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-101 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena in

... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 28: Dion Waiters #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles as Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors defends him during the first half in game six of the Western Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on May 28, 2016 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) less OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 28: Dion Waiters #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles as Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors defends him during the first half in game six of the Western Conference ... more Photo: Maddie Meyer, Getty Images

Kerr calls Iguodala unsung hero in Warriors Game 6 win

Andre Iguodala is always a calming influence for the Warriors.

In Saturday nights Game 6, he managed to completely fluster the Oklahoma City Thunder on their home court.

Iguodala channeled the 2015 NBA Finals MVP version of himself in the closing minutes of the Warriors 108-101 victory, a win that tied the Western Conference finals 3-3 and sent the series back to Oakland for Mondays Game 7.

I thought Andre Iguodala was kind of the unsung hero, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. Andre made some huge defensive plays down the stretch to give us a chance.

Iguodalas impact was all over the Warriors 9-0, game-closing run.

With 2:06 remaining, he swooped in for a nifty, left-handed layup that tied it 101-101. After stealing the ball from Russell Westbrook, Iguodala fired an outlet pass to Klay Thompson, who knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:35 left.

The teams traded back-to-back empty possessions, and then Iguodala came up with another steal. He got the ball to Stephen Curry for the game-clinching runner in the final 15 seconds.

Andre is one of the smartest, not only basketball players, but hes an incredibly smart human being, Kerr said. He sees everything kind of before it happens, and hes blessed with great speed, length and strength. Theres a reason hes been one of the leagues best defenders for a long time.

Hes really a key part every game for us, because we ask him to do so much.

Iguodala split his time defending Oklahoma Citys superstar scorers, Kevin Durant and Westbrook. The usually dynamic duo connected on only 34.5 percent of their 58 shots from the field and went 1-for-13 from three-point range.

Youve got to make these guys work, Iguodala said in a postgame TV interview. Kevin Durant, in my opinion, is one of the top two scorers in the world. Were in a league where the advantage is to the scorer, so hes going to make some tough shots, hes going to take a lot of shots, hes going to be comfortable all of the time and hes going to get to the foul line.

Youve just got to keep plugging away.

Playing 38 minutes, including starting in place of Harrison Barnes in the second half, Iguodala had eight points, seven rebounds and three steals.

In the games closing 126 seconds, he had two points, two steals and an assist.

Hes the best defensive player Ive ever played with and Ive ever seen, Thompson said.

Thats enough to make opponents panic.

Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: Rusty_SFChron

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Kerr-calls-Iguodala-unsung-hero-in-7951802.php

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INTEGRIS Game Day Report: Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors Game 3 May 22, 2016

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Golden State Warriors - Game 2 - 1st Half Highlights | 2016 NBA Playoffs

In the early morning hours of Thursday morning, as the Thunders team plane was crossing the Rocky Mountains on its way back from Oakland to Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Billy Donovan and the rest of their teammates and coaches were watching film from Games 1 and 2 against the Golden State Warriors. In these Western Conference Finals, theres no time to waste in preparing for the next game.

Sunday nights Game 3 will be a pivotal one, as they all are, as the Thunder and the Warriors go toe-to-toe in a 1-1 series to try to advance to the NBA Finals. Led by Durant and Westbrook, the Thunder has assessed where it can improve from Game 2, how it can limit turnovers, prevent second chance points and execute at a higher level.

That"s the one thing that makes those two guys so special is because they have a strong willingness and eagerness to want to improve and get better, Donovan explained. It could be in any area. They"re just looking to grow and get better.

One of the areas the Thunder wants to do a better job of defensively in Game 3 is limit the Warriors open three-point attempts, both in transition and in the half court. On a few occasions in Game 2, Golden State forwards were able to get Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson open on pin-down screens along the wing by both screening Curry and Thompsons defenders, but at other times by screening their own defenders when they anticipated the Thunder would switch. As a result, the Thunder has to be unpredictable in its defensive coverages so that the Warriors dont know exactly whats coming, or who to screen.

We"ve got to mix-up coverage and do some different things, Donovan said. Curry and Klay Thompson, they"ve been guarded every possible way imagined, and they"ve seen a lot of different things. So a lot of times in those situations you"re talking about where there are switches or slips or there"s not a screen, there is a screen, it really takes a high level of communication, whatever you"re doing, whether you"re staying with your man or you are switching. But we"ve got to change covers up as best we can, and in order to change coverages you"ve got to communicate.

Beyond the xs and os, however, the Thunders main objective heading into Game 3 is just to do everything at a higher level, with more energy and more concentrated effort. At this stage of the postseason, everyone is playing as hard as they can, leaving everything on the floor. The key is harnessing the energy in the right way and devoting that effort in the ways that lead to victory. That part is much more difficult than simply playing harder, its about playing with a corralled tenacity and concentrated will.

They made those plays, and in Game 1, I thought we did a better job, Donovan said. They did a great job raising their level of play, and you"ve got to give them credit.

We can watch the film, and we can say oh, we need to switch this one, we need to change this one, Serge Ibaka added. But the reality is they were playing tougher than us. They were tougher, they were more aggressive than us. That"s something you can"t always watch on film and can"t always change. It"s mentally. I think it"s something we have to do next game.

Every possession matters in these NBA Playoffs, as the Thunder saw in a hard-fought victory in Oakland in Game 1, when down the stretch it executed better than the Warriors. In Game 2, Donovans club let go of the reins for a minute span at the end of the first half, and it turned the tide of the game completely.

That focus and determination to be on point for every possession can make up for a lot of mistakes, difficult shots hit by opponents and tough luck. The key for the Thunder, as leaders like Westbrook described, is to stay vigilant and pull the team out of a bad rhythm before consecutive such possessions pile up.

Once we play harder, everything else will go into place. I think that"s the most important part, Westbrook said. Offensive rebounds, extra possessions, stuff like that just shows they wanted it more than us. We can"t let that happen.

You try to find ways to help each other out, help yourself out, find ways to not let the guy in front of you beat you to the ball, box out, do things that can change the game, Westbrook added.

Broadcast Information:

Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. CT

Television: TNT, Postgame on Fox Sports Oklahoma

Radio: WWLS the Sports Animal and the Thunder Radio Network

Source: http://www.nba.com/thunder/preview_playoffs_warriors_160522

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