Getty Andrew Wiggins drives the ball in a game against the Houston Rockets.
Andrew Wiggins came a toenail from setting a career-high in 3-pointers in Saturday’s win over the Houston Rockets, but was happy to settle for tying his best mark in a performance that is earning some major praise.
The Golden State Warriors wing nailed eight threes in the game and was briefly credited with a ninth before referees deemed that his toe was on the line for his final one. Wiggins ended up scoring a season-high 36 points in leading the Warriors to a 120-101 victory, which pushed the team to two games above .500 for the first time this season.
After the game, Wiggins got a nod of approval from his coach and a very glowing comparison to a former Warriors star.
Wiggins Earns Praise for Performance
Wiggins turned in what may have been the finest shooting performance of his career in the December 3 win, going 14-for-19 overall and 8-for-10 from behind the 3-point arc. He added five rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block for a well-rounded performance.
Andrew Wiggins was efficient in the Dubs’ win vs. the Rockets 💰
The performance earned some major praise for Wiggins. Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area compared his offensive efficiency this season to Kevin Durant, predicting that Wiggins will repeat as NBA All-Star.
“Wiggins made his first All-Star team last season. He then waded into the postseason and performed spectacularly enough to bury the old ‘underachiever’ label and open eyes around the globe. He was, by any reasonable measure, second only to Curry among the Warriors in The Finals,” Poole wrote.
“And now this, Wiggins proving he is a legitimate NBA star.”
There is plenty of design to Wiggins playing a bigger role in the offense. After Saturday’s win over the Rockets, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he intentionally tried to get Wiggins more involved in the win against the Rockets.
“Andrew was great,” Kerr said, via The Athletic. “I didn’t feel like I had done a very good job in the last two or three games of getting him involved. Sometimes he can be left out a little bit offensively when we’re really kind of flying up the court and taking quick shots. He’s such a good player and attacker. Tonight, we made a little more concerted effort to try to get him the ball early, but more than anything, he was just super aggressive.”
Wiggins Happy With 3-Point Efficiency This Season
While he may have been frustratingly close to setting his career best in 3-pointers in a game, Wiggins seemed content with his performance in the win. The former No. 1 overall pick, who was once seen as a flop as he failed to reach his potential with the Minnesota Timberwolves, said he is happy to be shooting above 40% on three-pointers for the season and hopes to remain over the mark for the entire season.
“I want to be above it,” Wiggins said. “That’s what I aim for. I feel like once you get past 40, people look at you different.”
Andrew Wiggins has never shot 40+ percent from 3 for a full season: “I want to be above it. That’s what I aim for. I feel like once you get past 40, people look at you different.”
He’s at 45 percent this season after going 8/10 tonight
Saturday’s performance pushed Wiggins to 45% shooting on 3-pointers for the season, a mark that leads the Warriors.
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Warriors Wing, Former No. 1 Pick Earns Praise for Career-Best Game