Hardwood Paroxysm Presents The Replacements: Bench players we’re most excited to watch in the NBA Playoffs

Chris Manning (@cwmwrites) is most excited to watch… Shaun Livingston

The Golden State Warriors have changed over the course of the past few seasons. The only major change have been signing Andre Iguodala the same summer Jarrett Jack walked and trading in Mark Jackson for Steve Kerr, but there have been little changes that have helped make the Warriors become a long-armed switch almost anything, defensive monster.

The most obvious was starting Draymond Green at power forward in place of David Lee. Another, and perhaps a slightly overlooked one, is adding Shaun Livingston to the rotation. Signed by the Warriors last summer on a three-year deal, Livingston, a 6’7” combo guard, is everything the Warriors require out of a backup guard; he can handle the ball, shoot a little and defend multiple positions.

He ultimately might not make a huge impact for the Warriors during the postseason – he only plays 18.7 minutes a night behind Steph Curry and Klay Thompson – but it’s enough that he’s here. Part of Livingston’s story will always be that he overcame a horrific knee injury to get back to the league – only to get cut several times before sticking with a really during the tail end of the 2012-13 season and turning that comeback into a deal with the Brooklyn Nets and that deal into a multi-year contract with the Warriors.

His story has been told over and over, but that doesn’t make it any the less exciting.