Andrew Wiggins has not played since February 13, for personal reasons, and no one knows if he will return for the playoffs. Steve Kerr and his players are in limbo and as the winger was a key element in the Warriors’ 2022 winning run, there may be concern.
How to do the double without this precious player with his defense and his shots? By replacing his impact with those of Gary Payton II and Jonathan Kuminga.
“I think things are falling into place,” explains the coach to The Athletic. “We are a more complete team, on both sides of the field, than a few weeks ago. Obviously it’s not perfect yet, we’re not consistent enough, but we can get there. Payton’s return will help us. Kuminga has improved so much, in attack and defense, that we can really count on him. He is more and more comfortable and thus, we are better. »
Kuminga is averaging 13.5 points at 55% shooting success in 24 minutes since Wiggins’ last game, when Payton II has just played two games and scored 9 points. The first is still young and irregular, the second lacks rhythm since his operation last summer. Can they be really decisive and successful in the playoffs? Wouldn’t a return of Wiggins be the best possible news for the Warriors?
“The door is open for him when he becomes available. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter either.” summarizes Steve Kerr. “He is in good shape, he is training but he needs space for his family. We support him. »
The question arises and the next few weeks will provide the answer: can the defending champions retain their title without Andrew Wiggins?
“I think so, yes. I really believe in this team.” Kerr replies. “Particularly because we brought Gary back and Kuminga stepped up a notch in the absence of Wiggins. Last season, we had two big defenders on the running back with Wiggins and Payton. There, we put JK in Andrew’s place. It’s not as easy as last season because we had the whole season together and we had the rhythm, the continuity. But I appreciate our chances. »
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Stephen Curry | 51 | 34.9 | 49.7 | 42.8 | 91.1 | 0.7 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 29.6 |
| Klay Thompson | 65 | 33.1 | 43.3 | 40.8 | 87.3 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 21.6 |
| Jordan Poole | 77 | 30.4 | 43.0 | 33.3 | 87.2 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 20.4 |
| Andrew Wiggins | 37 | 32.2 | 47.3 | 39.6 | 61.1 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 17.1 |
| Jonathan Kuminga | 62 | 20.7 | 51.6 | 35.8 | 65.0 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 9.7 |
| Donte Divincenzo | 67 | 26.3 | 42.5 | 39.6 | 84.4 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 9.2 |
| Draymond Green | 68 | 31.5 | 53.2 | 31.1 | 70.3 | 0.8 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 8.5 |
| Kevon Looney | 77 | 23.8 | 63.6 | 0.0 | 60.0 | 3.3 | 5.8 | 9.1 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 7.2 |
| Ty Jerome | 44 | 18.5 | 48.8 | 38.9 | 92.7 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 7.0 |
| Anthony Lamb | 57 | 19.8 | 47.1 | 37.6 | 75.0 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 6.9 |
| James Wiseman | 21 | 12.5 | 62.8 | 50.0 | 68.4 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 6.9 |
| Jamychal Green | 56 | 14.0 | 54.0 | 38.2 | 77.6 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 6.5 |
| Gary Payton II | 2 | 12.2 | 75.0 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 4.5 |
| Moses Moody | 59 | 12.7 | 45.0 | 34.1 | 69.2 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 4.4 |
| Patrick Baldwin, Jr. | 27 | 7.8 | 39.6 | 38.5 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 4.2 |
| Andre Iguodala | 8 | 14.1 | 46.7 | 11.1 | 66.7 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 2.1 |
| ryan rollins | 12 | 5.2 | 35.0 | 33.3 | 100.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.9 |
