Andrew Wiggins’ aggressive rebounding key to Warriors’ success in playoffs
Once heavily relied on to be a scorer for the dysfunctional Minnesota
Timberwolves, Andrew Wiggins has embraced his role as being a defensive
stawalt and aggressive rebounder.
>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins
(22) dribbles against Denver Nuggets’ Will Barton (5) in the first
quarter of Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff
series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.
(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins
(22) dribbles against Denver Nuggets’ Will Barton (5) in the first
quarter of Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff
series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.
(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 23, 2022 at 2:29 p.m. | UPDATED: April 24, 2022 at 9:06
a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/23/andrew-wiggins-key-to-warriors-success-in-playoffs/

DENVER – Andrew Wiggins has been an unsung hero in the Warriors’ success
in the first three games of the playoffs.

He hasn’t lit up the box score or made highlight reel-worthy shots like
some of the Warriors’ flashy guards. But don’t get it wrong — Wiggins
has been impacting the games in ways that can often be overlooked by the
casual fan.

The 27-year-old forward has kept his head on a swivel on both ends of
the court and is doing everything the Warriors need of him.

“Wiggins has been playing incredible basketball on both ends of the
floor,” Draymond Green said. “He’s been doing the little stuff all three
games this series and no one really talks about it, but we as his
teammates, we see it, we appreciate it, and we need him to continue
doing those things.”

Wiggins has embraced his role as being a defensive stalwart and
aggressive rebounder. He’s also effectively shooting the ball, too,
though scoring isn’t his top priority when he’s sharing the court with a
trio of sharpshooters.

In Golden State’s Game 3 win in Denver Thursday, Wiggins made a corner 3
to give the Warriors a one-point advantage late in the fourth quarter,
and then contested reigning MVP Nikola Jokic’s shot on the other end of
the court.

In the next minute, Wiggins flew from the left side and snatched an
offensive rebound off of an unsuccessful Stephen Curry 3-point attempt
and fed the ball back to Curry, who passed to Jordan Poole for an
acrobatic layup.

“I’ve been playing pretty well,” said Wiggins, who’s shooting 53.8% from
the field this postseason. “I’ve been doing what I have to do in the
games, got the job done and they resulted in a win.”

Wiggins has led the Warriors’ rebounding efforts in each of the first
three games. He’s grabbed a total of 23 rebounds — 19 on defense — and
is averaging 7.7 per game, up from his regular-season average of 4.5 per
game.

“I’m just trying to follow the ball,” Wiggins said. “I’m just trying to
create extra possessions for the team and rebounding is huge especially
when we play small. So I have that responsibility to go out there and
help rebound.”

This is the most comfortable and free Wiggins has played since being the
No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

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Wiggins struggled with inefficiency while being the go-to player with
the dysfunctional Minnesota Timberwolves. But the pressure to be a
high-octane scorer has been lifted from his shoulders.

“Wiggs has settled into a role where he understands like, ‘I’m not going
to get as many shots. Fine, I’m going to defend, I’m going to rebound,’”
coach Steve Kerr said.

“He understands what his role is on this team. And it doesn’t mean he’s
not going to have big scoring nights. We’re going to find as we go the
more attention people pay to our three guards, the more room there’s
going to be for Wiggs to attack and that’s coming.”

Gary Payton II referred to the Warriors’ three-guard lineup as “PTSD,”
an acronym for Poole, Klay Thompson, Steph and Draymond. The biggest
issue with that nickname is that it makes light of a serious mental
health condition, but it also leaves out Wiggins, the linchpin for that
lineup’s success.

“It is a great role I’m in,” he said as a smile crawled across his face.
“And we’re winning so that’s all that matters.”

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter