Aussies in NBA: Bogut struggles with foul trouble, still comes up big

Andrew Bogut made it back to the starting lineup for the first time since opening day, but only played 17 stop-start minutes for the Warriors against the Raptors, largely due to persistent foul trouble. Nevertheless, with 13 points, 6 boards and a block, he found a way to make his presence felt.

The foul trouble came early, with two quick ones meaning he was headed to the bench with 8:22 still left in the first quarter. Before that, he managed to come up with a smart steal on a Jonas Valanciunas pass in the Toronto backcourt, which quickly led to a Klay Thompson jumper.

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Bogut came back on for the start of the second quarter, and opened his scoring account with a lefty hook, but then found himself back on the bench again when he picked up his third foul with 7 minutes left in the half. It was a frustrating first half, but Bogey came alive in the second half, scoring 11 of his 13 points with some powerful finishes.

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Unfortunately the foul trouble continued; he picked up his fourth and again sat with 7:43 left in the third. After checking in in the final quarter, Bogut found himself the target of a 'Hack-a-Bogey' strategy a couple times, ultimately finishing the night shooting 3-of-6 on free throws.

It wasn't the prettiest night for Bogey, but hitting a solid 5-of-6 from the field meant that he finished as one of Golden State's top three scorers. His contributions were vital against a very dogged Raptors side who dragged themselves back into the game after being down by as much as 18 at one point.

Bogut will be hoping to continue this form going into the Warriors' next game, a potential Western Conference Finals preview against the Los Angeles Clippers. His battle with DeAndre Jordan could play a big part in deciding the result.