It's someone who is valued the most of the his team. In the regular season, Iguodala was utilized as the 'glue guy' off the bench. We’ll keep you updated on the picks here. His defensive effort was valuable enough, but Iguodala also found his outside shot during the series and became a major offensive contributor. Maybe Stephen Curry was the Finals MVP. Iguodala’s Swiss Army knife-type of play earned him the 2015 NBA Finals MVP. While he was tabbed with guarding the best player in the world, Iguodala also held his own offensively. Furthermore, his versatility gave the Warriors' options to switch on pick-and-rolls while his ability to run the floor produced a number of fastbreak opportunities. Although Steph Curry did play well, I'm pretty sure he's happy to win the MVP for the season and the Playoffs by: Spencer Lund Facebook Twitter June 18, 2015. He was at his best during the fourth quarters, twice scoring 17 in the final quarter while also heating up on Tuesday to put the game out of reach. He was also a member of the United States national team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2012 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal both times. Stephen Curry may lead the way … Finals MVP is not strictly a numbers game it is about positive impact that causes a team to win. After the Miami Heat beat the Boston Celtics 112-109 in game 4 this past Wednesday, key defensive small forward Andre Iguodala is now one win away from his 6th consecutive finals appearance. But having said that, the truth is that Curry's presence and gravity opened things up in a big way: Steph Curry wasn’t Finals MVP in 2015 (Andre Iguodala was a very worthy winner). WNBA Draft 2021: Results and reactions for each pick. As the primary defender on James, Iguodala contested and forced him into tough shots throughout the entire series. Andre Iguodala is worst NBA Finals MVP in last 30 years. The ESPN analyst was on First Take and gushed about the two-time MVP’s accomplishments. Let that sink in for a second. He was tasked with stabilizing the second unit and facilitating the offense as a secondary playmaker. Wednesday, June 17, 2015 CLEVELAND -- Golden State forward Andre Iguodala was named MVP of the NBA Finals following the Warriors' 105-97 clinching win Tuesday night, becoming the … Let’s get this out of the way right now. This should come as no fluke or surprise and here's why. How the mighty have fallen. It’s the Dubs’ first four-game winning streak of the season! Additionally, Golden State had their lowest offensive rating with Iguodala off the court. When looking at LeBron's basic numbers, some may jump to conclusion that Iguodala barely slowed him down. Through his championship runs with the Warriors, he was a key role player who demonstrated high IQ by making the right decisions in crucial moments of the game. Both Kawhi Leonard and Andre Iguodala, who weren’t the best-attacking forces of their team, were able to bag Finals MVP for the defensive work they did that kept LeBron James quiet. The way he somewhat made life difficult for LeBron was perhaps the determining factor why he won the award. That title's not wishful speculation, or some sort of bemoaning of AI9 being denied the honors he richly deserved. After receiving the Warriors' initial offer, Iguodala became more open to the idea of playing elsewhere. Players coming off the bench in the regular season who went on to win Finals MVP has been a rare feat in the NBA but Iguodala's amazing play defied the odds. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. He spent the series serving as the primary defender on LeBron James, and while James put up huge numbers, Iguodala did an admirable job defending and came up with several huge defensive plays in key moments against James. A year ago, Kawhi Leonard won the Finals MVP while guarding LeBron James. His defensive presence was key to the Warriors winning three straight games after trailing 2-1. As mentioned before, Iguodala had not started a game this season prior to Game 4 of the NBA Finals. He didn't become the third Splash Brother during the series, but did rediscover his outside shot some and hit some timely three-pointers. He defended LeBron the best out of anyone else on the Warriors. In spite of that play, Curry still outplayed him. Iguodala rebounded the ball, slashed to the basket, set up his teammates, and found ways to score. Arguably Golden State's most important two-way player in the Finals, Iguodala did not disappoint when asked to log heavier minutes. Why did Andre Igoudala win the 2015 finals MVP? He surprised people with his contribution during the series. By Dave Martin. Was Iguodala a worthy MVP? Why Andre Iguodala Should Win Finals MVP. It wasn't LeBron James, the self-proclaimed King nor was it the regular season MVP Stephen Curry adding another trophy to their collection -- but Andre Iguodala unprecedentedly coming out on top in the 2015 NBA Finals. SB Nation presents: How to construct an NBA champion, Canada’s ‘Canadian tuxedo’ look for the Olympics is perfect, Throwing a screaming bobcat across your yard is the ultimate dad sport. He served that same role against Cleveland, but did so while playing defense against the best player in the world and while logging huge minutes. June 15, 2015 Updated: June 15, 2015. bigger smaller. He was arguably the best Warrior on the floor in the clinching Game 6, scoring 25 points while several other Warriors struggled to get going offensively. 2 pick in the draft is done with his rookie season. While it is hard to 'stop' LeBron James, it is not impossible to wear him down. Iguodala's on court net rating was second best among Warriors' players behind only Marresse Speights who played sparingly. During the season, Kerr used Iguodala as a calming influence off the bench to settle the action when things went awry on the floor. The term was coined by Tim Kawakami, a Bay Area columnist. Not only did Iggy take the Cavs out of their offensive game plan, he took the Cavs out of their defensive game plan. Andre Iguodala is a very deserving recipient of the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award.. The Hamptons 5 are: Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala. Curry scores 42, leads Warriors to blowout win over Thunder. Credit the 'special assistant to the head coach' Nick U'Ren for coming up with the idea of a lineup adjustment. He did, and the rest is history. They are called that because 4 of these players traveled to the Hamptons in the summer of 2016 to convince KD to join the Warriors. In that finals series Andre Iguodala was consistent, focal point, defensive and a boost whenever he's on the court. Iguodala made such an impact in helping Golden State win the NBA title that he took home NBA Finals MVP honors. However, Andre Iguodala is worthy and deserving of the Bill Russell Award. Here are James' statistics with Iguodala on bench versus Iguodala on court: Iguodala on Bench: 44% FG, 82% FT, 47% eFG, +30 +/-, 107.4 offrtg, 88.6 defrtg, +18.8 netrtg, Iguodala on Court: 38% FG, 66% FT, 41% eFG, -55 +/-, 94.1 offrtg, 109.7 defrtg, -15.5 netrtg. Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless otherwise cited. The Warriors didn't lose again. Andre Iguodala is the only winner to have not started every game in the series. Stephen Curry may lead the way offensively for the Warriors, but Iguodala played a massive role at both ends of the court for the new NBA champions. He scored 22 in a huge Game 4 performance. Getty Image. It was LeBron who carried an injury-rattled Cavaliers team and Curry who led the Warriors in scoring, but it was Iguodala's all-around contribution that decided the outcome of the NBA Finals. Andre Iguodala won the Finals MVP award in 2015. ESPN Stats & Information states that of the 90 possessions where Iguodala started off on James, the Cavaliers could only force him to switch 18 times (20 percent). By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. No doubt about it. The Warriors were exponentially better with Iguodala on the floor. Curry, who has yet to win a Finals MVP in his career, would have been a worthy recipient of the award. Per ESPN Stats & Information, James shot 58% from the field against Leonard in the 2014 Finals and an abysmal 33% with Iguodala as the defender. In spite of that play, Curry still outplayed him. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. He was the X-Factor in that series as the Warriors were able to turn things around when Iguodala started and shadowed LeBron for the rest of the series. According to SI's Lee Jenkins, Iguodala has literally been preparing for matchups against James, studying his tendencies and moves for years. Adams: Saying that Stephen Curry's brilliance allowed for Andre Iguodala to win Finals MVP might be the perfect way of articulating his understated yet oversized impact. For arguably the first time in his 11-year NBA career, absolutely no one is overlooking Andre Iguodala: He has actually been named the Most Valuable Player of these Finals. Iguodala Regular Season: 26.9 min, 7.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 47% FG, 35% 3P, +5.7 +/-, Iguodala Finals: 37.1 min, 16.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.0 apg, 53% FG, 40% 3P, +10.3 +/-. Having a guy with years of championship experience will give Miami and its players more knowledge in different assets of the game, specifically … Print. While those numbers are atypical of a Finals MVP, the counting stats do little to show his all-around contribution. Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images He has played the last five as a member of the Golden State Warriors where he was a star off the bench, being named to the NBA All-Defensive 1st team in 2014 and winning the 2015 Finals MVP. He was Golden State's best two-way player all series and was rewarded for his effort. While Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and even Curry struggled at times during the series, Iguodala scored 14 or more points in five of the six games. It means not the one with the most score or most assist nor combined. MVP means Most Valuable Player. Did voters get it right? Andre Tyler Iguodala is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. The Dallas Wings have three picks in the top five of the WNBA Draft. James Wiseman has surgery, officially out for the year. Vegas odds had listed Andre Iguodala as a 125-1 pick, Dan Feldman of NBC Sports' ProBasketballTalk, the 'special assistant to the head coach' Nick U'Ren. Kendrick Perkins explains why Steph Curry will be ranked a top 10 all-time NBA player. He led the Warriors with 26.0 points and 6.3 assists in six games. They needed a spark, and they weren’t quite getting that from their MVP, Stephen Curry.