Golden State of Mind: Andrew Bogut Back for Warriors

Bogut Returns From Ankle Injury

Stop me if you heard this one before, but Andrew Bogut returned from a major injury Monday night against the Toronto Raptors and looked like he barely missed a beat. Yes, the 7-foot Aussie has an injury list longer than Lindsay Lohan’s rap sheet at this point in his eight-year career. Bogut missed all but 12 games last season and only played four this year before another lengthy stint on the shelf due to ankle issues. He wasn’t even supposed to play before the All-Star break, but surprised everybody by suiting up and starting for Warriors against Toronto Monday night.

Golden State couldn’t have asked for more in his return. Bogut played 24 minutes, scoring 12 points to go along with eight rebounds, four blocks, and two assists in a 104-102 blowout of the Raptors. It wasn’t just the stat line that was so impressive, but how he put those numbers up. Bogut threw down a couple of nasty dunks, showed his finesse on the fastbreak, and owned the key on the defensive end. In short, he did the sort of stuff that made him the No. 1 overall pick way back in 2005.

“It’s been a long, frustrating season for me. It’s been hell,” Bogut told reporters after the game. “I’m just happy to be back on the floor and to get my wind is very satisfying. I still have a long way to go to make sure this thing stays right but I’m excited.”

So is the team. After the win Warriors coach Mark Jackson told reporters that it was a “different team” with Bogut in the lineup. That much was evident, but considering his injury history, Golden State isn’t going to push him too hard right away. He isn’t expected to play the second half of back-to-backs until after the All-Star break and will likely be limited to about 25 minutes per game for a while. That means he’ll watch tonight’s Warriors-Cavaliers game from the sidelines in Cleveland.

If – and certainly it is a humongous if at this point – Bogut is healthy enough to contribute at least 25 minutes a night, you’d better watch out for this Warriors team. They already owned the eighth best record in the NBA without him and he will dramatically improve the defence that’s allowing almost 98 points per game. With the Clippers skidding, the Warriors have a serious chance at making a run at top spot in the Pacific Division.