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As a player whose contributions are often overlooked, Andre Iguodala has made a career flying under the radar.

There have been only five teams in NBA history that have won three consecutive league titles. A handful of games into the 2017-18 regular season, the Golden State Warriors have already begun their quest to become the sixth.

Years from now, when we look back on Golden State's most recent two championships, chances are one player and two specific shots will stand out.

The game, the shot location, the time remaining on the clock…the similarities are truly uncanny. They're arguably the two biggest shots in the career of a player who will go down as one of the most skilled scorers to ever play the game. And while those shots obviously and rightfully deserve plenty of reverence, it wouldn't be right to ignore the full context within which they took place. The fact of the matter is, without some certain overshadowed defensive plays, those shots may not go down in history quite the way they did.

And perhaps it's only fitting to use the term 'overshadowed', considering the plays were made by one Andre Iguodala.

He's been an All-Star, a Finals MVP, a two-time All-Defensive player and a three-time NBA Champion. Yet, with all of the star power on the Warriors, it's been somewhat easy for Iguodala to fly under the radar. He's never posted a double-digit scoring average in a Golden State uniform, and has made only eight total regular season starts dating back to the beginning of the 2014-15 season. But if you ask Steve Kerr, who made the decision to bring Iguodala off the bench upon his arrival, the veteran swingman is invaluable to the Warriors' vision and overarching strategy.

"He's the unsung hero on our team," Kerr said in the aftermath of one of Iguodala's aforementioned overshadowed defensive plays. "If I had to rank the smartest basketball players I've ever been around, I'd put him right there with Manu Ginobili and Scottie Pippen. He's got that kind of basketball mind. He's brilliant."

The play in question? It wasn't one for the faint of heart.

Roughly 30 seconds after Kevin Durant deposited the first of his two famous Game 3 daggers through the net, the Warriors were still vulnerable. He increased Golden State's lead to three points with two free throws with 12.0 seconds remaining, but Cleveland still had an opportunity send the game into overtime, and they had the ball in the hands of the right player. The only problem? It was Iguodala's hands they should have been worried about.

As LeBron James raised up to launch the potential game-tying three, Iguodala swiped down, deftly separating the ball from James' grasp, clinching the victory and a commanding 3-0 series lead for Golden State. One blowout loss and one additional win later, the Dubs had their first of back-to-back NBA Championships.

Then, almost exactly a year later, Iguodala's pesky hands were at it again.

With just under three minutes remaining in regulation of Game 3 of the 2018 Finals, the Warriors held a slim 98-97 advantage, inching ever closer to a 3-0 series lead over the Cavaliers for the second year in a row. Stephen Curry had just converted a layup to give the Dubs the lead, and as Cleveland made their way back down the court, James threw the ball into Kevin Love, who was posted up against Iguodala on the wing. As the bigger Love attempted to spin towards the baseline with his eyes set on retaking the lead, Iguodala used his left hand to strip Love from behind. Not only did Iguodala retain possession after the crucial steal, but two passes later, Golden State led by four.

On the ensuing possession, James returned the favor, converting a three-pointer to make it a one-point game once again. Enter Iguodala for yet another critical overshadowed contribution.

Iguodala inbounded the ball to Kevin Durant, who walked it up the court. With five seconds left on the shot clock, those two engaged in a pick-and-roll, as Durant found a wide-open Iguodala cutting to the basket. With nothing but space in front of him, Iguodala received the pass and rose up to throw down a thunderous dunk, rebuilding a three-point advantage with just less than 100 seconds left to play.

Cleveland would miss on their ensuing possession, and on Golden State's next trip down the floor...well, you remember.

Durant's shots are certain to be replayed on NBA highlight reels for decades to come, and rightfully so. But, chances are, those highlights will be clipped in such a way that Iguodala's overshadowed plays don't make the cut. That's not something that bothers Iguodala, though.

"No, for me, I know. But, like, I know it's unnoticed. I actually enjoy those more than anything. I like doing stuff that people can't quite grasp, whether casual or very in-tune basketball fans. Those are the moments I like."

In fact, Iguodala sees those kinds of moments as microcosms of his career – as in, overshadowed:

"Yeah, I think my career has been like that, but I've always been cool with that. I never say that I don't have enough attention or that I should get more attention. I like flying under the radar."

Perhaps what makes Iguodala such a valuable piece of the Warriors' puzzle is that he not only understands his role, but also embraces it, particularly as the stakes get greater.

"You want to put your stamp on the game in whatever way possible," he says. "We embrace our jobs. And my job is to try to cause some havoc defensively, especially when those moments call for it."

If anyone knows what it's like to be on the other side of that havoc in a big moment, it's the Cavaliers. But, now in his 15th NBA season, Iguodala's left his stamp on the game in just about every way imaginable.

The majority of Iguodala's NBA career is behind him, but what a career it's been. And, based on how 'Playoff Iguodala' has performed each of the last two postseasons, perhaps he's got more tread left on his tires than he'd have you believe. But when that career does finally come to an end, will he have done enough to secure himself a spot in the Hall-of-Fame?

Iguodala – a noted NBA historian – believes there are at least four future Hall-of-Famers amongst his current teammates, if not more. However, he neglects to include himself in that group.

"I think my game, like what I've done is good enough, but I don't think the numbers support it. But I'm cool with it. I don't really care. Whatever."

For a guy who's perfectly comfortable flying under the radar, what else would you expect?

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Flying Under the Radar

The Warriors look to make it two wins in a row when they host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.

Warriors vs. WizardsWednesday, October 247:30 p.m.Oracle Arena

WATCH: NBCSBA
    RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App and Warriors Radio Network

A LOT OF W'S
Golden State will attempt to remain unbeaten at Oracle Arena this season when the Warriors take on the visiting Washington Wizards on Wednesday. This will be the first of two matchups between the two teams this season, and Wednesday’s game represents Washington’s sole visit to Oracle Arena during the 2018-19 campaign. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Watch the action on NBC Sports Bay Area, or listen to the call on 95.7 The Game and the Warriors Radio Network.

LAST TIME OUT The Warriors got back on the winning track with a 123-103 home victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. Full Recap

GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Damian Jones

WAS: John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter Jr., Markieff Morris and Ian Mahinmi

GSW: DeMarcus Cousins (left Achilles rehab) is out. Team Notes

WAS: Ian Mahinmi (back spasms) is questionable. Dwight Howard (gluteal soreness) is out. Team Notes

BALL MOVEMENT
 It should be a familiar refrain at this point: the Warriors are at their best when the ball is zipping around on offense. It’s been a point of emphasis for Steve Kerr ever since arriving in Golden State, and the Dubs displayed their best ball movement of the young season in Monday’s win over the Suns. They topped the 30-assist threshold for the first time this season with 35 helpers, 24 of which came in the first half; last season, Golden State posted a record of 35-5 when recording at least 30 assists as a team. The Warriors posted a season-best assist percentage (.778) in the victory, and are now averaging 30.0 assists in wins so far this season, compared to only 22 in their sole defeat. If they move the ball like they did on Monday, they’re going to prove awfully difficult to beat, particularly at the friendly confines of Oracle Arena.

WASHINGTON SCOUTING REPORT
With four playoff berths in the last five years, the Wizards figure to have a say in a fairly wide open Eastern Conference this season. After losing their first two games – both at home – by a combined total of five points, Washington got their first notch in the win column with a 125-124 road victory in Portland on Monday in the first game of a season-long five-game road trip. That trip continues in Oakland on Wednesday, where the Wizards haven’t beaten the Warriors in more than four years. Once again led by their backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal, Washington has both the star power and potency to give any opponent fits. They’ve played at the sixth-fastest pace in the league so far this season, so expect both sides to be running the floor at every opportunity on Wednesday.

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Game Preview: Warriors vs. Wizards - 10/24/18

Playing on the back end of a back-to-back, the Warriors bounced back with a 123-103 home win over the Suns on Monday.

The Warriors got back on the winning track with a 123-103 home victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. Golden State took command of the game midway through the first quarter on their way to a 70-point first half and didn’t trail at any point in the remainder of the contest. Stephen Curry missed his first five three-pointers in the game, but ended 6-of-13 from beyond the arc to finish with a game-high 29 points. Kevin Durant added 22 points, Damian Jones converted all five field goals he attempted, and both Jonas Jerebko and Alfonzo McKinnie scored in double figures off the bench. With the victory, Golden State improves to 3-1 on the season.

One night after suffering a frustrating loss in which it seemed they couldn’t buy a basket for several minute stretches at a time, the Warriors suffered no such issues on Monday, as they jumped out to an early lead over the Suns and never looked back. Damian Jones opened the scoring with an alley-oop, in what would prove to be a sign of things to come, as five of Golden State’s first six baskets came by way of the dunk. Devin Booker gave the Suns an early 7-4 advantage with a three-pointer at the 9:28 mark of the opening quarter, but that would prove to be Phoenix’s sole lead of the contest. Curry and Durant responded immediately with sequential scores, and the Dubs remained in front for the duration of the game.

Golden State made only two of their 11 three-point attempts in the opening quarter, but managed to build a nine-point lead at the end of one thanks to a 15-2 advantage in fast break points. They had a better go of it from long distance as the game wore on, as Curry soon found his stroke, and his teammates followed suit. Curry, who went 0-of-5 from beyond the arc in the first quarter, was a perfect two-for-two in the second, and he continued to get hot from there. Quinn Cook made only a single three in the entire game, but certainly made it count. With the second quarter winding down, Klay Thompson found Cook on the wing in the final seconds, who promptly deposited his shot in the basket for a three-point buzzer-beater, giving the Warriors a 70-47 advantage going into halftime.

Golden State kept their foot on the gas pedal in the third quarter, preventing Phoenix from generating any realistic hope for a comeback. The Suns cut the deficit to 19 early in the second half, but the Warriors promptly responded with a burst, culminating with an 8-0 run that would give them their largest lead of the entire game at 88-58 with 5:33 remaining in the third quarter. Curry would make four of his six three-point attempts in the frame, including a splash with 28.5 seconds left to give him 29 points on the night and his team a commanding 106-81 lead heading into the fourth and final quarter.

With the victory well in hand, Steve Kerr emptied the bench and deployed the reserves to finish off the eventual win. It provided an opportunity for a career highlight, as Jacob Evans not only made his NBA debut, but also scored his first career points. Additionally, both Damian Jones and Alfonzo McKinnie established career-highs with 13 and 10 points in the victory, respectively.

With the win, Golden State improves to 3-1 on the season. They’ll attempt to add another home victory to their total when they play host to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

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Warriors Bounce Back with Win Over Suns

DeMarcus continues to make good progress with his rehabilitation program. After spending the last few weeks doing various individual on-court activities and drills, he will, in the near future, be integrated into controlled aspects of team practices, although not scrimmages at this point. Additionally, he will continue with his off-court strength and conditioning.

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Cousins Making Progress with His Rehab Program

After one game, the Dubs have to be feeling good about the status of the center position.

Following an offseason in which their frontcourt experienced a hefty amount of turnover, one of the biggest question marks surrounding the Warriors entering the 2018-19 season concerned the group of players that would be tasked with anchoring the paint for a team seeking a fifth-straight trip to the NBA Finals. Longtime veterans Zaza Pachulia, David West and JaVale McGee had since departed Golden State, leaving a major void that youngsters Damian Jones, Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell would be asked to fill.

Well, it's obviously a small sample size, but the Dubs have to be feeling good about the status of the center position.

Golden State got their new season started off on a positive note with a 108-100 victory over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Opening Night on Tuesday, and the big man rotation was a major reason why. Jones and Looney had standout performances in particular, with the former playing well in his first career start, and the latter notching his first career double-double in just 18 minutes off the bench.

For Jones, it was a night to remember – and not just because he got a shiny new championship ring before the game started. In addition to making his first career regular season start, Jones established career-highs in points (12), made field goals (six), blocks (three) and minutes (27). His supreme athleticism was on display from the start, as his first four baskets all came by way of the dunk. He also led Golden State with three blocks in the contest.

"It was cool getting the rings," said Jones following the win. "Just seeing the hard work from last year, but my main focus was on the game. Just coming out there and executing everything we went over. I thought it went well."

Jones wasn't the only one that came away with that opinion. He impressed many of his teammates, a few of which just happen to be NBA All-Stars.

"He [Jones] has an extreme amount of potential and we're trying to unlock that this year," said Stephen Curry at his postgame press conference. "He gives us a different versatility in terms of lineups. We can go out there and put pressure on the rim, defensively being a presence. It's always great to see guys chomping at the bit to get that opportunity finally break through."

"DJ was great tonight," said Kevin Durant. "There's so much being thrown at him from everyone. His development has to be a little bit accelerated right now, especially with Boogie [DeMarcus Cousins] out. He's coming in. He's learning the schemes. Just learning little tricks of the game that you don't really get unless you play. I think it's a great test for him to go against Steven Adams who is a bulldog down in the paint. I think he held his own."

As promising as Jones' performance was, he was only part of what proved to be a very effective center-by-committee. When Jones went to the bench, he was typically replaced by Looney, who took full advantage of the opportunity. Not only did Looney record a double-double in a team-high 18 minutes off the bench, but eight of his 10 rebounds on the night were of the offensive variety. In fact, Looney singlehandedly corralled half of Golden State's offensive rebounds in the entire game.

"They both played very well," said Draymond Green of the two young centers. "They competed, like I said before. They both made plays. DJ great finishes at the rim. Loon [Kevon Looney] caught the ball out of the pick-and-roll and made plays. He had some great finishes and he rebounded the basketball. Both of them defended well. It was good to see both of those guys play well. They both will continue to get better."

If proven true, that last statement might keep opposing coaches up at night, particularly considering two realities. First, between Curry, Durant, Green, Klay Thompson and others, the Warriors already possess more than enough firepower to spoil even the most stifling of defensive game plans. Second, Golden State's center depth and production should only improve as the season wears on, given the continued development of the young bigs, not to mention the eventual return of All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins is working his way back from an Achilles injury and remains in the rehab process at this time, but the thought of him playing alongside four other All-Stars can certainly boggle the mind with the possibilities.

Suffice to say, when it comes to the center position, there's plenty to look forward to for Golden State.

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Centers of Attention

The Warriors travel to Utah to take on the Jazz on Friday night.

Warriors at JazzFriday, October 197:30 p.m.Vivint Smart Home ArenaSalt Lake City, UT

WATCH: ESPN, NBCSBA
    RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App and Warriors Radio Network

ON THE ROAD
Coming of their season-opening victory, the Warriors head out on the road to take on the Utah Jazz on Friday night. This will be the first of three matchups between the teams this season, after Utah took three of four against Golden State a year ago. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). Watch the action on ESPN and NBC Sports Bay Area, or listen to the call on 95.7 The Game, the Warriors Mobile App and the Warriors Radio Network.

LAST TIME OUT Stephen Curry scored a game-high 32 points to lead the Dubs to a season-opening victory over the Thunder on Tuesday night. Full Recap

UTA: Ricky Rubio, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert

GSW: Andre Iguodala (left calf tightness) and DeMarcus Cousins (left Achilles rehab) are out. Team Notes

CENTERS OF ATTENTION
 It's obviously a small sample size, but the Dubs have to be feeling good about the status of the center position. Golden State got their new season started off on a positive note with a 108-100 victory over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Opening Night on Tuesday, and the big man rotation was a major reason why. Damian Jones and Kevon Looney had standout performances in particular, with the former playing well in his first career start, and the latter notching his first career double-double in just 18 minutes off the bench. Read More

UTAH SCOUTING REPORT
After being the surprise of the Western Conference a year ago, the Jazz won’t be sneaking up on many teams this time around. Utah withstood the departure of a franchise player, and may have found a new one in Donovan Mitchell, who burst on the scene and put together one of the finest rookie campaigns by a guard in the last several years. Mitchell enters the new season as the unquestioned offensive linchpin of a Jazz team dead set on securing a third consecutive playoff berth. Their calling card last season, however, was their defense, as they led all NBA teams in defensive rating, thanks in large part to center Rudy Gobert, who was named the 2017-18 Defensive Player of the Year. The Jazz were the only team in the league to beat Golden State three times in the regular season a year ago, and that included both meetings in Salt Lake City, which the Warriors lost by an average of 35 points per contest. The Dubs obviously hope to fare better this time around in what is certain to be a raucous road environment on Friday night.

game-preview-warriors-at-jazz-10-19-18

Game Preview: Warriors at Jazz - 10/19/18

The Warriors put the finishing touches on a night of constant celebration, holding on in the final minutes to defeat the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 108-100 on Opening Night on Tuesday. Golden State led for the entire first half and vast majority of the contest, but had to grind through the final minutes to ensure their 2018-19 regular season would begin with a victory. Stephen Curry was tremendous, scoring a game-high 32 points to go along with eight rebounds and nine assists. Kevin Durant added 27 points and eight boards, Damian Jones scored in double figures in his first career start, and Kevon Looney recorded a double-double off the bench.

The celebration began well before the opening tip, as the reigning NBA Champions received their 2018 Championship rings at a pregame ceremony. That ceremony concluded with the 2017-18 Championship banner being unveiled in the rafters of Oracle Arena.

Curry, who counted down to that unveiling, was clearly not distracted by the pregame festivities, as he was on his game from the minute the ball went up in the air. He provided the Warriors’ first points of the new season with a three-pointer 29 seconds into the contest, which would prove to be the first of his five treys on the night. He would go on to total 12 points in the opening quarter, which came to a close with Golden State leading 31-23.

The Dubs didn’t trail at any point in the first half, and built their largest lead of the entire game on Kevin Durant’s free throw with 3:04 remaining in the second quarter, which put Golden State in front 53-39. The Thunder would immediately respond with an 8-2 burst, however, before Curry closed out the scoring in the half with a layup to give the Warriors a 57-47 advantage at halftime.

Oklahoma City got off to a torrid start to the second half, opening the third quarter on a 20-9 run to take their first lead of the night at 67-66 just under four minutes into the frame. Dennis Schröder would convert a pull-up jumper with 6:19 remaining to put the Thunder up 71-70, but that would prove to be Oklahoma City’s final lead of the night. Klay Thompson sank a jumper on the ensuing possession, followed by Curry’s fifth and final three-pointer of the game, and Golden State never looked back.

The Thunder tied the game on two occasions early in the fourth quarter, but Durant’s free throws with 9:12 left put the Warriors in front for good. Oklahoma City gave Golden State one final scare, as Steven Adams’ free throw with 1:57 remaining cut the deficit to 99-97, but the Dubs would go on to outscore the Thunder 9-3 over the final two minutes to close out the eventual 108-100 victory.

With the win, Golden State improves to 1-0. They’ll attempt to make it two victories in a row to begin the season when they travel to Utah to take on the Jazz on Friday night.