Warriors November Report: David Lee's Impact Is More Than "Big"
The Golden State Warriors have had a crazy four seasons. In 2006-07, they added a motivated Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington and powered their way into the second round of the playoffs, clinching on the last day and knocking off the NBA's top team in six games.
The next year, they reaped the benefits of having Jackson and Harrington all season and won 48 games behind Baron Davis' career year, only to miss the playoffs in the ridiculous West.
That was the calm before the storm.
The Warriors lost Baron Davis, Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus that summer. Monta Ellis crashed while riding a moped and missed 57 games, and Al Harrington was traded early in the season. The team continued to suffer from injuries at every position and won 29 games.
In 2009-10, after Stephen Jackson demanded a trade, the Warriors were in trouble. But by the end of the season, Jackson was just another casualty. Warriors players collectively sat out over 480 games due to injury, almost 200 more than any other team.
Injuries can often be a lame excuse for failure, but when you're starting three D-Leaguers a night, there isn't much a team can do.
This all lead up to a summer that went under the radar as the craziest in the NBA. As Miami, New York, Cleveland and Chicago dominated headlines, Golden State lost Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Randoplh, Ronny Turiaf, Anthony Morrow, CJ Watson, Corey Maggette, Anthony Tolliver and Raja Bell.
They were bought for a record $450 million, and they fired the NBA's winningest coach in Don Nelson. They added Dorell Wright, Louis Amundson, Dan Gadzuric, Charlie Bell and Rodney Carney. Oh, and David Lee.
In a normal summer, David Lee would be one of the top two or three free agents on the market. But with LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Joe Johnson and Amar'e all nabbing max contracts, the all-star was a "second tier" free agent along with other scrubs like Carlos Boozer and Al Jefferson.
With the Warriors perennial complete lack of a Power Forward since trading Antwan Jamison, landing one of these elite bigs was necessary but nonetheless unexpected in Warrior nation. But Lee was signed to an $80 million deal all the same, and Warrior fans and players alike are saying "finally."
Lee is averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds so far, but his impact is only measurable in the win column. With Lee, Golden State is 7-2, out-rebounding opponents, out-shooting opponents, and getting big buckets and stops alike. Lee missed two weeks recently after catching Wilson Chandler's tooth in his elbow, a first in the NBA in recent memory (of course, it happened to a Warrior).
During that stretch, Golden State went 1-7, being dominated on the glass, out-played inside and on the perimeter, and scored upon at will. David Lee will not get any MVP votes putting up the numbers he currenty is, but the Warriors know how indispensable he is.
So, is 14 and 11 really the difference between a .778 winning percentage and a .125 one? No. But David Lee is not about personal stats—he is the definition of a team player. He takes accountability, he holds teammates accountable, he listens to the coach and he coaches. He never makes a selfish play, and after not being permitted by doctors to break a sweat for two weeks, he plays 42 minutes and propels his team to their first win in six games.
Lee isn't only an immeasurable upgrade at PF over Vladimir Radmonivich, but he makes everyone else a drastically better player. Dorell Wright has gone for 19 or more six times this year, only once with Lee out of the lineup. He's hit three or more 3's six times this year, every time with Lee. As Lee returned to the lineup last night and put up only 10 and 6 in 42 minutes, D-Wright hit a franchise record nine 3's.
Andris Biedrins rebounds whether Lee is in the lineup or not, but with Lee's ferocity on the glass taking up much of the attention and size of the D, Biedrins is able to grab boards more easily, as well as tip it out, or receive a tip from David. With Lee, the Warriors have out-rebounded seven of nine teams; without him, they were beaten on the glass six of eight times.
Lee doesn't just help the front-court: Monta Ellis and Steph Curry are a scary offensive duo, but opposing D's know that. Without a big who can hurt them offensively, opponents simply key on Ellis and Curry, shutting them down and knowing that no one else will carry the Warriors to victory.
But with Lee, Ellis and Curry can dominate games. Lee makes defenses key on him off of pick and rolls, and this allows Ellis and Curry room to drive or pull up. Monta has two double-doubles this year, and Curry has one. All three, of course, have been with Lee. And when Lee gets the ball down low, defenses have no choice but to collapse, allowing the excellent passing big man to kick it out to open shooters such as Curry, Ellis, Reggie Williams and the aforementioned Wright.
With Lee's ability to swing defensive rebounding in Golden State's favor, ability to transform the entire offense, and incredible leadership, his personal numbers are an afterthought. Even so, he seems to come up one or two huge offensive rebounds and put-backs late in every close game that are not only 4-6 point swings but give the entire team confidence that they can win.
Going into a seven game stretch of San Antonio, Phoenix, @ Oklahoma City, @ Dallas, @San Antonio, Miami and @ Utah, Lee has come back at just the right time.
Going up against Bosh, Dirk, Duncan (twice) and Al Jefferson will be a tall task, but Lee and his supporting cast are, as far as these worthy foes are concerned, a 7-2 force to be reckoned with.
