Getty/Todd Kirkland Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors goes up for a shot against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Two of the biggest season headlines for the Golden State Warriors have been Stephen Curry breaking the all-time three-point record previously held by Ray Allen, and the abrupt development of Jordan Poole’s two-way game. However, much of this season’s success and struggles can be tied to a different player.
Andrew Wiggins started off this season on fire. With Klay Thompson still on the mend from his Achilles injury, Wiggins was often the second go-to option offensively alongside Curry for the first half of the season. In 54 games going into the All-Star break, Wiggins averaged 17.7 points, while shooting 48.1% from the field, 41.4% from the perimeter, and 66.1% from the free throw line. After a nine-game winning streak on February 7, the Dubs were sitting with a record of 41-13.
Since then, things have not looked great for the first time All-Star. Wiggins has only managed to crack 20 points scored in three out of 14 games since the break. In 14 games, since the All-Star break, his scoring average has dipped to 14.7 points, while shooting it at a 40.3% clip, 28% from three, and an abysmal 54.8% from the charity stripe.
The return of Thompson, and emergence of Poole as a ball handler has definitely hindered much of Wiggins early season success. But that cannot really explain why his numbers have dropped off so far down.
Andrew Wiggins Knows His Struggles Are in His Head
Wiggins is still getting his fair share of open looks from the perimeter. He acknowledges this and admits that it’s a bit in his head at this point.
“It’s been there, games I’ve been aggressive, just sometimes shots aren’t falling,” Wiggins tells reporters after shootaround on March 30. “That’s part of the game, you know what happens. I just got to keep my head, keep pushing forward and stay confident.”
Over the course of his career, he has shown flashes of hot streaks for weeks or months at a time. Eventually, he would cool off considerably to the point his offensive play would be a detriment to his team. Against the Atlanta Hawks on March 25, Wiggins was benched for the entirety of the fourth quarter. This season’s hot start was definitely the longest of his career, but just like before he has seen his production fall off a cliff.
“It’s tough not seeing your shot go in, even if it feels good,” Wiggins continues. “You’re getting open shots but it’s part of it. I’m doing my part, I’m in the gym, working hard and I know eventually they’ll fall, they’ll fall at the right time.”
Defensively, Wiggins has held up his end as he always does. The real issue is on the offensive end. Without Curry, the lack of spacing puts more pressure on Wiggins to score when he has the opportunity. However, the former No. 1 pick would not use Curry as an excuse for his own poor play.
“Steph not being out there is definitely a game-changer,” Wiggins admits. “It kind of changes the way that we play a bit. I wouldn’t say that’s the reason.”
Andrew Wiggins doesn’t think Stephen Curry being out is why he’s struggling to find a rhythm offensively.
“I’ve still got great looks. It just hasn’t been going my way.”
Wiggins Still Believes Warriors Are Team to Beat
As most teams hope to build momentum and go into the postseason on a high note, the Warriors have been scrambling to find the right ingredients to win ball games. Their struggles over the second half of the season have pushed them into a dog fight for the No. 3 seed with the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks.
However, Wiggins and the Warriors do not seem to be too concerned with their current struggles.
“We believe we’re still that team,” Wiggins says with confidence. “Even with that little funk there we were in, we’re still third in the West and we believe we’re still the best team, especially when everyone is healthy, and that’s what we’re going towards.”
If only Wiggins has as much certainty here as he does when he goes up for shots lately, maybe the team would not be so desperate for wins this late into the regular season. The silver lining is that Wiggins knows it’s a mental issue for him, so hopefully he can figure it out by the time the playoffs are underway.