Playoff series are usually determined by the play of each team’s stars, and two of the best small forwards in the NBA—Boston’s Paul Pierce and Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala—have pitched a spirited battle over the first five games of their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup.
While Pierce will outscore Iguodala more often than not, the 76ers‘ swingman is a unique talent who leads his team in a variety of ways. Very few perimeter players are as skilled defensively as Iguodala, and on those nights where it seems like the Sixers’ co-captain hasn’t done all that much, the box score will show that he chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
In order to knock off the veteran Celtics, Philadelphia desperately needs Iguodala to outperform Pierce on both ends of the court. So, as the series reaches a pivotal Game 6, here’s a look at five ways that the 28-year-old Iguodala can out-duel the man known as “The Truth.”
