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sport / alt.sports.basketball.nba.gs-warriors / SFC: Warriors’ Wiggins quietly effective in long-awaited return to the playoffs

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o SFC: Warriors’ Wiggins quietly effective in long-aDonald Lee

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SFC: Warriors’ Wiggins quietly effective in long-awaited return to the playoffs

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Subject: SFC:_Warriors’_Wiggins_quietly_effective_in_long-a
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 by: Donald Lee - Sat, 23 Apr 2022 18:04 UTC

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/warriors/article/Warriors-Wiggins-quietly-effective-in-17115761.php

DENVER — Andrew Wiggins is the silent, stoic type, which makes him stand out in the Warriors’ dynamic, small-ball lineup.

Look at the scene at Chase Center when head coach Steve Kerr unleashed this quintet in the first two games against Denver. Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole gyrated in exuberance after they drained 3-pointers or scored on acrobatic drives to the basket. Draymond Green scowled and strutted. Even Klay Thompson offered animated reactions to a flurry of Warriors buckets.

Wiggins quietly and impassively went about his business, mostly snatching rebounds and slashing to the hoop.

He’s the forgotten member of this lineup, in some ways, and for ample reason. Curry, Thompson and Green are the enduring core of Golden State’s three championship teams. Poole is the flashy new kid, crashing the party in a blur of slick ball-handling, creative passes and majestic outside shots.
Andrew Wiggins (22) goes up for a shot as the Golden State Warriors played the Denver Nuggets in game 2 of the NBA Playoffs first round at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 18, 2022. The Warriors won 126-106.

Andrew Wiggins (22) goes up for a shot as the Golden State Warriors played the Denver Nuggets in game 2 of the NBA Playoffs first round at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 18, 2022. The Warriors won 126-106.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

Wiggins, who slides over to power forward when the Warriors play small, does the dirty work alongside Green. The Warriors need Wiggins to hunt rebounds in this group, and he responded with a combined 17 boards in Games 1 and 2, alongside 29 points.

Also consider his efficiency. He shot 55% from the field (11-for-20) in those games, including 60% beyond the arc (3-for-5). This extended a trend for Wiggins, who also made shots with striking efficiency in the season’s final week-plus; this is the first time all season he has shot 50% or better from the field five times in a six-game stretch.

“Andrew understands that if we’re going to play small, like we have, he has to rebound,” Kerr said. “We still need him to attack when it’s there, and he’s done that several times. We’re going to need him more and more as we go.”

Wiggins absorbed good-natured grief from his teammates ahead of these playoffs, given his thin postseason resume. He appeared in one playoff series in first seven seasons in the league, a five-game, first-round loss with Minnesota (to Houston) in 2018. More often, Wiggins — the No. 1 overall pick in 2014 — went home when the regular season ended.

This stands in stark contrast to many of his Warriors teammates. Andre Iguodala has played in 171 postseason games in his career, followed by Green and Thompson (125 each) and Curry (114).

So they didn’t entirely know what to expect from Wiggins on the big stage, but they’re encouraged by the early returns.

“They tease me about it, make jokes about it, but I’m here now,” Wiggins said. “I’m excited to go through the journey with the team.”

Wiggins traced an adventurous journey this season. He elevated his game in the first few months, earning the first All-Star Game appearance (and start) of his career. Then he struggled for a long stretch, missing shots and appearing curiously uninterested on defense.
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) scores a three-point shot against Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green (32) in the first half during Game 1 of the NBA first-round playoff series at Chase Center, Saturday, April 16, 2022, in San Francisco, Calif.

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) scores a three-point shot against Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green (32) in the first half during Game 1 of the NBA first-round playoff series at Chase Center, Saturday, April 16, 2022, in San Francisco, Calif.
Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

Finally, in a timely revival, he rediscovered his groove in late March: 22 points against the Heat, 23 against the Wizards, 19 points and eight rebounds against the Suns, 25 points against the Kings. Now, even if his scoring numbers aren’t huge, Wiggins is carrying his solid play into the playoffs.

“I would argue this is the guy we saw most of the season — and the one who struggled was the exception, not the rule,” Kerr said. “He’s just sort of settled back in to who he was for most of the year. He’s locked in, playing aggressively, yet comfortably.”

Wiggins brings a distinctive skill set. He shot a career-best 39.3% beyond the arc this season, but just as important he can score on the low post, drive the baseline and muscle up against bigger forwards when needed. Those are qualities the guard-heavy Warriors need.

His defense also matters, especially as Thompson works his way back after 2 ½ years out with injuries. Wiggins often draws the opponent’s best perimeter player, and he’s even helped out on Denver center Nikola Jokic at times in this series.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, left, is defended by Denver Nuggets forward Will Barton during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in San Francisco, Monday, April 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, left, is defended by Denver Nuggets forward Will Barton during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in San Francisco, Monday, April 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Jeff Chiu / Associated Press

Warriors forward Nemanja Bjelica, who was Wiggins’ teammate in Minnesota for three seasons, acknowledged his growth with Golden State.

“He’s a two-way player,” Bjelica said. “He didn’t take a lot of shots the first two games, but he played good defense and helped us big guys on the boards. … This is the best version of Wiggins, what I’m seeing.”

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 1: Warriors 123, Nuggets 107

Game 2: Warriors 126, Nuggets 106

Game 3: Warriors at Denver, late

Game 4: Warriors at Denver 12:30 p.m. Sunday | Channel: 7Channel: 10 / 95.7

Game 5*: Denver at Warriors TBD Wednesday | 95.7

Game 6*: Warriors at Denver TBD Next Friday | 95.7

Game 7*: Denver at Warriors TBD May 1 | 95.7

* - if necessary

That’s what the Warriors need to see, and hope they see, the rest of the playoffs.

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