Andrew Wiggins has endured a difficult season for the Golden State Warriors. He has struggled to reach his usual production level and has bounced in and out of the rotation. Yet, as the season neared its conclusion, Wiggins began to emerge as the wing defender the Warriors needed.
When speaking to the media on Monday, Steph Curry praised Wiggins and what he brings to the table for Golden State. He noted how the explosive wing has a difficult role, as he is usually tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player.
“What he has to do is not easy,” Curry said. “I think that’s something people miss, he has to guard the best perimeter guy and we want him to be aggressive offensively as well. … He understands how important it is to reach our full potential as a team and you’ve seen that over the last month or so.”
The Warriors face a difficult road to the playoffs. They’re the 10th seed in the Western Conference. That means a win-or-go-home game against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. That winner faces the loser of the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans. Should the Warriors successfully navigate both of those games, a best-of-seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder awaits.
"That message is for everybody — it's just a little louder when it's a guy like Wiggs."
Steph on the importance of continuing to encourage and uplift Wiggins on the court pic.twitter.com/dlr4yYZNAG
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 15, 2024
If Wiggins can emerge as the same three-and-D wing that helped the Warriors secure the 2022 NBA championship, he will give Golden State an excellent chance of embarking on an unlikely run toward the playoffs. He’s shown he’s capable of being one of the best defenders in the NBA; now the Warriors need him to remind everybody watching at home.
