Getty Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, and Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors were able to pick up their third straight win on January 30, downing the Oklahoma City Thunder, 128-120. On top of the victory, the Dubs also got a great showing from Andrew Wiggins, who had missed three of the team’s previous four games with an injury. Wiggins put together a solid outing in Oklahoma City, scoring 15 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and blocking 2 shots, all while knocking down 7 of his 13 attempts from the field.
The former No. 1 overall pick was on the receiving end of some strong praise from Draymond Green. Following the win, Green spoke on Wiggins’ return to Golden State’s starting lineup.
“He definitely had a pretty good night. You know, I think it was just good to see him back aggressive, Green said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “You know, when he first came back, he seemed a little timid, which is usually the case when people come off a long layoff. I don’t know if timid is the right word, but, you know you’re just trying to find your legs, find your footing, find your spots, and different things. It was could to see him aggressive tonight. He was that way on both sides of the ball.”
Draymond was happy to see Wiggins play aggressive tonight
Wiggins has appeared in just 30 of Golden State’s 50 games this season. His absences could be a large factor in the team’s inconsistence up to this point. They certainly miss his 17.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game when he’s out of the lineup. Not to mention his efficiency, shooting 47.2% from the field and a career-high 39.6% from deep.
Steve Kerr Speaks on James Wiseman’s Status With Warriors
Wiggins isn’t the only player that’s been in and out of the Dubs’ lineup due to injuries this season. Third-year center James Wiseman has missed significant time with a few different ailments so far. He was recently cleared to return to play, but hasn’t been utilized by Head Coach Steve Kerr. Wiseman was a DNP-Coach’s Decision in the Warriors’ win over the Thunder, continuing the trend.
Kerr explained to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole that he recently had a chat with Wiseman, after the team’s January 29 practice.
“I did, just because it’s hard as a young player to have to go through this,” Kerr told Poole. “And you need reps. And you haven’t been through the league for a long time, and you don’t always understand what’s happening.”
Kerr then gave some insight to why the former No. 2 overall pick hasn’t been seeing the floor.
“I would love to get him out there, but right now, JaMychal is playing really well. Obviously, we’ve gone to a smaller lineup, so that Loon and Draymond are not playing together as much. It creates a little bit of a logjam at that position. James just has to stay ready.”
Warriors’ Steve Kerr ‘Feels Bad’ For James Wiseman
Kerr’s continuous decision to leave the 7-footer on the bench has been one of the bigger storylines surround the Warriors as of late.
During a recent appearance on 95.7 The Game’s Damon & Ratto, he spoke about feeling bad for the situation the 21-year-old is currently in.
“I think that’s a fair question,” Kerr said when asked if the team feels obligated to either play Wiseman or trade him. “One of the things I tell James from time to time, is that I feel bad for him because of the circumstances. He’s had a tough go with the injuries, the injuries definitely set him back. But the bottom line is he’s a really talented young guy playing on a veteran team.”