Many Golden State Warriors fans have been waiting patiently to see Andrew Wiggins return to the floor, after being away from the team for nearly two months to be with his father. Wiggins did rejoin the team late in the season, but still has yet to suit up for the blue and gold.
With a first-round meeting with the third-seeded Sacramento Kings looming, it sounds like the plan is to have the former No. 1 overall pick back for the opening game.
ESPN’s Kendra Andrews reported so on Monday, during an appearance with 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibbs.”
“The Warriors are planning on having [Andrew Wiggins] for Game 1,” Andrews told the hosts. “That is the absolute plan. I’ve been told that maybe he could have [played]. He was looking good in his scrimmages and practices. They wanted to play it really safe with keeping him out of that Portland game, but the Warriors are happy with his progression. If he’s starting or not, I don’t know. I remember when Stephen Curry came back from his injury in the playoffs last season, they elected to bring him off the bench for the first two games. So that’s not out of the question for Andrew Wiggins, who missed two months. But, the thing about Andrew Wiggins is that he was able to work out while he was away from the team. So the team is feeling comfortable about bringing him along a little bit quicker and having him ready to go in Game 1.”
Steve Kerr Shares Update on Andrew Wiggins Return to Warriors
While Andrews may have reported that the plan is for Wiggins to lace ’em up for Game 1, there has been no official word from the team. The latest update on the Canadian wing’s ramp-up came from head coach Steve Kerr, ahead of Golden State’s regular-season finale in Portland Sunday.
“He got some three-on-three work in yesterday and some five-on-five,” Kerr said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “So, everyday he’s progressing and he’s putting in the work. The whole thing is after a seven-week absence, there has to be a ramp-up period and that’s what he’s doing right now. It would be irresponsible for us to just throw him out there and expose him to injury. So he has to go through the process. Our performance team is putting him through that process and he’s getting a lot of good work in. The idea would be, ideally we win the game today [against Portland], and have these next five or six days to prepare, which would include some scrimmaging and getting Wiggs back into the fold with everything we’re doing scheme wise and execution wise. Then he gets another week under his belt and we reassess from there.”
Steve Kerr details the plan for Wiggs’ return to the court
Klay Thompson Discusses Andrew Wiggins’ Impact on Warriors
Saturday’s Game 1 at Golden 1 Center will be played just over a week after the final regular-season-meeting between the Warriors and Kings. The two clubs met in Sacramento on April 7 in a game where Golden State’s stars squared off against the home reserves.
Following the 119-97 victory, Dubs star Klay Thompson shared his perspective on Wiggins, explaining that the 28-year-old makes the team even more dangerous.
“It always feels great to win. I think we’ll click even more when Andrew’s in the lineup because he’s such an important player to what we do,” Thompson said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “And we still have another level to reach. So, I think we should just keep staying humble and working hard, and we’ll get there. I know we will.”
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Warriors’ Plan for Andrew Wiggins Return Against Kings in Playoffs Revealed