Editor’s note: The Chronicle is reviewing the season of each player after the Warriors’ second straight championship run.

Much of this past regular season, as Andre Iguodala’s misses mounted, head coach Steve Kerr reminded reporters that Iguodala is a master at peaking late in the season.

Iguodala saw his cue when the playoffs started. Through the Warriors’ first 13 postseason games, he was a steadying force on both ends of the court. Anyone who doubted his value needed only to see how much Golden State missed him when he was sidelined for six playoff games by a left lateral leg contusion/bone bruise.

After Iguodala sustained the injury late in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against Houston, the Warriors dropped Games 4 and 5 to dig a 3-2 series hole. Without Iguodala in Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals against Cleveland, Golden State had little answer for LeBron James, who totaled 80 points on 29-for-52 (55.8 percent) shooting, 17 rebounds, 21 assists and three steals.

Each of the Warriors’ other defensive options for James — Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, among others — had trouble at times staying in front of him. It wasn’t until Iguodala returned for Game 3 of the NBA Finals that James had to start working to get open looks.

More Information Andre Iguodala Age: 34 Position: Small forward Ht./Wt.: 6-6, 215 pounds Hometown: Springfield, Ill. College: Arizona Years pro: 14 2017-18 averages: 6.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 25.4 minutes per game Contract status: Entering second year of a three-year, $48 million deal

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Over the series’ final two games, James shot a combined 1-for-7 from three-point range. Iguodala’s stat line in that span — 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting, four rebounds, one assist, two blocks, three steals, one turnover — wasn’t gaudy, but it was a big reason Golden State swept the Cavaliers.

Those heady performances hushed Warriors fans who had been bemoaning Iguodala’s lucrative contract.

Last summer, eyebrows were raised when Golden State re-signed Iguodala to a three-year, $48 million deal. At 33, he was dealing with nagging back and knee pain. Gone were the days when Iguodala was one of the most athletic players in the league.

His critics only got louder when his numbers lagged well behind his career averages in the regular season. Kerr, however, didn’t fret. A master at self-preservation, Iguodala knows how to be at his best when it matters most.

Seldom does he not meet with the training staff after practice. When Kerr asks him to rest the occasional game, Iguodala hardly argues. Acupuncture appointments are part of his monthly routine.

As the season wore on, Iguodala got more and more comfortable offensively. After watching Iguodala repeatedly keep a free-flowing offense from veering into chaos, Kerr inserted him into the starting lineup for Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against New Orleans. The move, along with shifting Green to center and Durant to power forward, was so fruitful that Kerr stuck with the lineup until Iguodala got injured against the Rockets.

Next season, if Iguodala starts slowly, Golden State fans would be wise to hold off on their criticism.

Offseason outlook: With two years left on his $48 million deal, Iguodala won’t be leaving the Warriors anytime soon.

Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Con_Chron