When the Warriors were tearing through the league earlier this season, they benefited from a strong performance by Andrew Wiggins, who played well enough to a starting spot in the All-Star Game. But Golden State has slumped recently, dropping three of its last four games and barely holding off Memphis for second place in the West, and Wiggins’ downturn has been a huge reason why, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Injuries have affected the Warriors, who have been without Draymond Green for seven weeks and Andre Iguodala for three weeks. Klay Thompson sat out the past two games with an illness, leaving Stephen Curry surrounded by a collection of young talent and role players. The team needed Wiggins to fill the void, and he hasn’t been doing it, Poole observes.
Wiggins just completed his least productive month since his rookie season in 2014, Poole adds, and his first game of March wasn’t encouraging. After scoring eight early points Tuesday night, Wiggins spent much of the game “floating around” and “standing in space,” according to Poole, who states that it brings back memories of the underachiever reputation that Wiggins had when he played in Minnesota.
There’s more on the Warriors:
- The organization plans to have Green around his teammates more often as he works his way back into playing shape following a lower back injury, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Green has been doing most of his rehab work on his own, but players and coaches believe he raises the spirits of the team and demands accountability from others. Coach Steve Kerr says Green continues to “make strides” toward a return and recently competed in a 3-on-3 scrimmage, Slater tweets.
- Thompson had a “raging headache” after last Thursday’s game and felt sick for several days, but he traveled to Dallas with the team and plans to play tomorrow night (video link from Slater).“I’m playing,” he told reporters. “I didn’t come all the way to Dallas to watch.”
- Rookie guard Moses Moody made his sixth start of the season Tuesday, but he had to leave the game with a left eye contusion, the Warriors announced on Twitter. “He got poked in the eye,” Kerr said after the game, per Cody Taylor of Yahoo Sports. “I think he got elbowed by (Karl-Anthony) Towns on a drive. He went up to go vertical and he got elbowed in the eye and it is pretty bad. His eye is swollen shut.”
Who cares?
They’re going to make the ridiculous 20 team playoffs, so all that matters to them and every other team is how healthy they are in mid-April.
Home court advantage doesn’t mean that much anymore.
Is about Wigs so no one cares, as he has had since his trade to GSW the worst 2 seasons of his career, regressed big time since his good ole days of MIN, now is a non-factor, so no one cares ’bout him!
BTW, GSW ain’t nowhere near contending this season, specially with Wiggs in the starting 5, they better put Kuminga in there if they wanna have a long run in the playoffs!
@ El Don;
Thanks. I feel better now. Maybe I can sleep through the night for the first time in 2 weeks.
So what you’re saying is that when GS makes the playoffs, if Wiggins is healthy and starting there’s no reason for me to watch as GS is doomed.
Thanks again for the public service.
Whoaa – thought for a moment there I’d have to think and see things for myself. Probably would have wasted a lot of time.
Samuel, I truly believe his name is actually Eldon. As in “Eldon! Your laundry is done and I made you a sandwich. Plain or barbecue chips? Is it warm enough down there?”
What?
Get a map
I have maps.
LOL my god I am convinced you are 13 years old and have as much basketball IQ as you do brain IQ. If you don’t like him that’s fine, but stop saying such stupid remarks like “having the worst two seasons of his career”, when the dude made the ALL STAR team this season. You sound like you never saw a game of this year for any team with those types of statements.
Wiggins will be a FA. Cause by that time Kuminga will be more than ready. I see Toronto going after him. He’s a much better team player now. Plus being a home town guy still in his prime. Makes a ton of sense to for Raptors.
The only way to get into game shape is by playing the game. I’m guessing dray is feeling underpaid. So he took some time off.
GSW was on ABC just after the AS teams announced, and I bet his good & happy first half turns out to be his peak.
We will see, etc…