Andre Iguodala missed 15 games last season due to injury. That was after missing only six games the previous six seasons combined. The injuries started early with his first absence coming the seventh game of the year.
The 14 points he averaged were his fewest in the last five years, however, his 6.3 assists per game were a career best.
I think if you were to ask Dre he would tell you he had a subpar year last year, Doug Collins said. The injuries really did not allow him to play to his full potential. As a guy who went through injuries, it takes a mental toll on you. When you are trying to get healthy it mentally takes a toll on you.
Elton Brand, like Collins, can relate to the season Iguodala experienced last year. In back-to-back years, Brand had season-ending injuries followed by a season where getting right never happened.
I can really appreciate the mental grind Andre Iguodala went through last year, Brand said. With all the injuries, playing in the playoffs hurt,and he was fighting through everything.
Hes playing so no one knows. They say he is a step slow, but he was hurt. But (now) he is very athletic, he is speeding through the drills, hes all over the place on defense being the athlete he wants to be.
Unlike 2010, Iguodala had no USA national team commitments this past summer. As a result, his aches and pains disappeared. He changed his eating habits and he added boxing to his workout regiment. As a result, a brand new 215-pound Iguodala arrived last Friday.
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The weight loss was on purpose. The diet included lots of salads, while cutting out bread, red meat, carbohydrates and candy.
Well, truth be told, Iguodala only cut the candy out because he had way too many cavities to fill. Still he is feeling the benefits.
I havent missed any practice time, Iguodala said. I have been going through scrimmages without asking for a sub. I feel lighter. I am 10 pounds lighter than last year, which takes added pressure off my knees so it feels good.
It also feels good to know what Collins wants from him. A year ago, there was a feeling-out process.
Just be aggressive, not settling on any one thing, Iguodala said. Obviously, on the fast break pushing it up. I think Jrue (Holiday) and I do a good job of kicking it ahead. When he kicks it ahead to me I can make a play and when I kick it he can, so as long as I am being aggressive, making plays and getting to the foul line I feel like I am putting the team in a good position.
I love his voice. I love the things he is saying to his teammates, Collins said. The teaching he is doing with the younger guys. I like the fact that he is being very aggressive offensively and he is looking for his shot more and he is playing a mid-range game off the dribble, which I also like.
Last year, each of the Sixers starters averaged between 10 and 12 field goal attempts per game, which is indicative of their balance. Still, there were too many times Iguodala gave the nod to someone else when the preferred choice was to be a little selfish.
He can impact the game in so many ways, Collins said. I mean if you average seven assists a game, you are in the top-10 in assists and seven rebounds would be one of the better small forwards in the game and I am not even going to talk about his scoring. And he is first-team all-defense talent.
The numbers Collins spoke of were not far from what Iguodala averaged a night14 points, six rebounds and 6.3 assists.
When people watch the Sixers this year they will look at the Iguodala-Holiday tandem and say that duo has chemistry. It will be the third year they have played together and over the course of the last two seasons the rapport they have developed is one where little has to be said.
It makes a really big difference playing with a guy for a couple years, Iguodala explained. There are things that I just dont have to explain to him anymore and he doesnt have to explain to me as far as certain cuts and signals. He knows I am looking for him. If he has a point guard face-guarding him under the basket, I just throw it. We had to build that connection and that trust factor, and he knows he has my support.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com.