Warriors notebook: Wiggins questionable for Christmas Day game, Green
notes ‘fragile’ state of team
Golden State Warriors may be without Wiggins for a 10th game on Christmas
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden
State Warriors warms up prior to Game Five of the 2022 NBA Playoffs
Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center
on May 26, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User
expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this
photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty
Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: December 23, 2022 at 2:12 p.m. | UPDATED: December 23, 2022
at 4:09 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/12/23/warriors-notebook-wiggins-questionable-for-christmas-green-notes-fragile-state-of-team/

SAN FRANCISCO — Not only are the Warriors limping without injured stars
Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins, veteran Draymond Green says the
defending NBA champs are “fragile” mentally.

“You start to go through these things and you start to believe them,”
Green said after practice on Friday. “When you believe them, it becomes
who you are and you have to break that. The only way you can break that
is to be mentally tough. And right now I think we’re very fragile.”

Golden State is 15-18 overall after a dismal 1-5 East Coast trip, and
are hoping to start an eight-game home stand on the right foot in
rematch of last season’s fiery Western Conference semifinals against the
Memphis Grizzlies on Christmas Day.

But the Warriors will be without Curry for a fifth straight game because
of a left shoulder injury, and Wiggins likely will miss his 10th
straight game.

Wiggins has been out since Dec. 4 with a right adductor strain, and only
recently started practicing with the team. He practiced fully on Friday,
but coach Steve Kerr said it is undecided if he will be ready to play on
Sunday night. JaMychal Green also remains out for Christmas in health
and safety protocols. But Donte DiVincenzo practiced fully and is
probable to return after a non-COVID illness had him sidelined for the
Warriors’ back-to-back losses against the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

Playing without Wiggins and Curry — both having All-Star and, in Curry’s
case, an MVP-caliber seasons — against the first-place Grizzlies puts
the struggling Warriors at a disadvantage.

Without their stars, the Warriors can use Sunday’s game as an
opportunity to toughen up mentally for a crucial month, according to
Green The Warriors entered Friday in 11th place and their playoff hopes
could hinge on a successful home stand. The Warriors are 12-2 at home
this season, but just 3-16 on the road.

“I think this is a team that has struggled from the spirit perspective
since [the road trip began],” Green said. “It’s a bit more frustrating.
… You can make what you want of it being on the road versus being at
home, but it’s mental. It’s a team struggling mentally. And that makes
it hard to overcome anything else.”

Kerr noted the Warriors lost nine of 11 last March before their title
run. They’ve taken a few confidence hits and gutting losing streaks even
in their best years. Though this team hasn’t shown if they can hit a
stride, the core has proven they know how to bounce back.

“Number one, you just have to stay the course,” he said. “Number two,
you have to rely on your recent history, rely on the vets who have been
there who have been through these journeys where there’s always peaks
and valleys like last year. And then it’s really important that your
vibe in the building remains positive and upbeat.”

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--
Shayna Rubin | General Assignment Sports Reporter
Shayna covers Bay Area sports for the Bay Area News Group. She covered
the Oakland A's from 2019 to 2021 and, most recently, the Golden State
Warriors' championship run in 2022. Shayna is a San Francisco native.

Allen wrote:
> Warriors notebook: Wiggins questionable for Christmas Day game, Green
> notes ‘fragile’ state of team
> Golden State Warriors may be without Wiggins for a 10th game on Christmas
> >SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden
> State Warriors warms up prior to Game Five of the 2022 NBA Playoffs
> Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center
> on May 26, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User
> expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this
> photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty
> Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
> By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
> PUBLISHED: December 23, 2022 at 2:12 p.m. | UPDATED: December 23, 2022
> at 4:09 p.m.
> https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/12/23/warriors-notebook-wiggins-questionable-for-christmas-green-notes-fragile-state-of-team/
>
>
>
> SAN FRANCISCO — Not only are the Warriors limping without injured stars
> Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins, veteran Draymond Green says the
> defending NBA champs are “fragile” mentally.
>
> “You start to go through these things and you start to believe them,”
> Green said after practice on Friday. “When you believe them, it becomes
> who you are and you have to break that. The only way you can break that
> is to be mentally tough. And right now I think we’re very fragile.”
>
> Golden State is 15-18 overall after a dismal 1-5 East Coast trip, and
> are hoping to start an eight-game home stand on the right foot in
> rematch of last season’s fiery Western Conference semifinals against the
> Memphis Grizzlies on Christmas Day.
>
> But the Warriors will be without Curry for a fifth straight game because
> of a left shoulder injury, and Wiggins likely will miss his 10th
> straight game.
>
> Wiggins has been out since Dec. 4 with a right adductor strain, and only
> recently started practicing with the team. He practiced fully on Friday,
> but coach Steve Kerr said it is undecided if he will be ready to play on
> Sunday night. JaMychal Green also remains out for Christmas in health
> and safety protocols. But Donte DiVincenzo practiced fully and is
> probable to return after a non-COVID illness had him sidelined for the
> Warriors’ back-to-back losses against the New York Knicks and Brooklyn
> Nets.
>
> Playing without Wiggins and Curry — both having All-Star and, in Curry’s
> case, an MVP-caliber seasons — against the first-place Grizzlies puts
> the struggling Warriors at a disadvantage.
>
> Without their stars, the Warriors can use Sunday’s game as an
> opportunity to toughen up mentally for a crucial month, according to
> Green  The Warriors entered Friday in 11th place and their playoff hopes
> could hinge on a successful home stand. The Warriors are 12-2 at home
> this season, but just 3-16 on the road.
>
> “I think this is a team that has struggled from the spirit perspective
> since [the road trip began],” Green said. “It’s a bit more frustrating.
> … You can make what you want of it being on the road versus being at
> home, but it’s mental. It’s a team struggling mentally. And that makes
> it hard to overcome anything else.”
>
> Kerr noted the Warriors lost nine of 11 last March before their title
> run. They’ve taken a few confidence hits and gutting losing streaks even
> in their best years. Though this team hasn’t shown if they can hit a
> stride, the core has proven they know how to bounce back.
>
> “Number one, you just have to stay the course,” he said. “Number two,
> you have to rely on your recent history, rely on the vets who have been
> there who have been through these journeys where there’s always peaks
> and valleys like last year. And then it’s really important that your
> vibe in the building remains positive and upbeat.”

Darn. Without Wiggins, they won't have much of a chance, and the game
won't really be worth watching.

--Robin