Golden Gates

Is that Leonidas at the Hot Gates? No, wait - it's Andrew Bogut playing for Golden State! Bogut returned to the starting line up last night, and his teammates were glad to see him. 2, 4, 8, 12, who do we appreciate? Bogut! That was his stat line: 2 assists, 4 blocks, 8 rebounds, and 12 points (on 6-8 shooting) in 24 minutes. His impact goes beyond the numbers; according to his coach, Bogut "completes [the Warriors] as a team." David Lee said he was a better defender with Bogut covering his back. That's the warrior's way, using your shield to cover the man next to you!

Golden State beat Toronto on the road, 114-102. Bogut likely won't play tonight at Cleveland, as he will skip back-to-back games until after the All-Star break. His playing time will also be limited as he returns from ankle surgery, but last night he showed some explosiveness on a couple of dunks. Good to see him back on the court before March!

As for the All-Star festivities, this is what Grantland's Zach Lowe said about Andre Miller in his most entertaining all-stars article:

G Dr. Andre Miller, PhD, Point Guard University
Miller is the reason every NBA fan needs to invest in DVR — and not even because of the lob passes, long the best in the business, and propping up JaVale McGee's career for the last year. It is astonishing what Professor Miller can see in real time, with nine other guys darting around a crowded court.
He is always two steps ahead of opponents and teammates, in ways that are easy to miss on first watch. But when you slow down the tape, you can see Miller doing this kind of calculation: "If I pause mid-dribble, hesitate, and then take one extra dribble into the paint, Defender A will shift to Spot X, which allows Teammate B to get open in Spot Y, which in turn will draw Defender B, which in turn will free Teammate C who likely has no idea what is about to happen." It is like a perfect geometric proof during an NBA game.
Toss in one of the best little guy, ass-first post games, and I'm sold. Miller can't really defend anymore, and Denver has to hide him on the weakest offensive player at all times, but this list is about pure entertainment.