Golden State centre says he is ready to play “big minutes” this year.
For the first time in two seasons, Andrew Bogut beleives he has kicked the injury demons that have plagued his NBA career to date.
Bogut, who joined the Warriors as part of the deal that sent Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks, said even though he played 32 games last season he still felt restricted from his surgically repaired left ankle.
“Last season, I put the ball in the post and it was lumber, lumber, lumber, bounce, bounce, bounce, shoot,” Bogut said.
“Because I got to be honest, I couldn’t make quick moves on my ankle or it’d give out or I’d fall over. So I tried not to do too much. Now I’m back to a point where I can make quick moves and go off the dribble.”
The number one draft pick in 2005 only averaged 5.8 points per game and just 7.7 rebounds in his 24 minutes when he was healthy enough to be on the court.
The Australian showed what he is capable of when healthy when he scored 21 pulled in 14 rebounds and also netted four blocks and three assists in a massive game against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
The Warriors are set to be springboard into being a top four contender in the NBA Western Conference this upcoming season after going 47-35 last year.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, David Lee and Bogut are back for Golden State and the team managed to also nab swingman Andre Iguodala from the Nuggets.
Bogut will want to have a big season this year as he is currently in the final year of his current deal.
“It was hell for me the last 12 months, to be honest,” Bogut said.
“I’m just happy that that light is getting brighter and brighter for me in the tunnel and it’s at the stage now where I feel like I’m driving out of that tunnel.”
Bogut was also thrown out out as possible trade bait to lure Dwight Howard to the team, something the Melbourne-born seven-footer did not take personally.
“Right now Dwight is a better player than I am,”” he said.
“Dwight created a bit of a circus with it all, he wanted to get his five minutes.”
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