Andrew Wiggins had a most pleasant day Tuesday.
Andrew Wiggins thought he was dreaming when he discovered he could be beginning within the All-Star recreation subsequent month. Woken from a pregame nap, Wiggins acquired the information from his girlfriend and his daughter.
“It was a great way to study,” stated Wiggins, “and I'm grateful. I've been placing in lots of work and I’ve discovered a house right here.”
Wiggins is averaging 18.1 factors per recreation, with profession highs in subject aim share (48.3) and three-point share (34.9). He has additionally been a pressure defensively for the Warriors together with his blocks and rebounds. The numbers made him worthy of consideration, however the idea of being an All-Star was extra a risk than an expectation.
“I didn’t know what would occur,” stated Wiggins, a first-time All Star in his ninth NBA season at age 26. “These final couple of days, I've been considering, hopefully I make it. I hoped and to listen to my title is a reduction. I'm simply grateful.”
So how did Wiggins present his gratitude in Thursday night time’s 124-115 win in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves? By scoring 19 factors to go together with two blocks, 5 rebounds and hitting 5 threes in eight tries.
Listed here are extra observations from the Warriors’ fourth straight win.
Splash Social gathering
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson mixed for 52 factors and had been the catalysts of the Warriors’ explosion from three. Curry (29 factors) snapped his chilly streak from three by hitting 6-of-10. Thompson hit 5-of-9. In all, the Warriors hit 21-of-36 photographs from behind the arc (58.3 p.c).
Whereas Minnesota appeared to get no matter it needed within the paint, the Warriors acquired no matter they needed from three. The Warriors had the spacing on the ground and ball motion to facilitate their scorching perimeter capturing.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr would gladly take a scorching night time from three, however he targeted on the must be extra constant and disciplined on offense.
“We’re not going to make 21-of-36 most nights, however we did generate lots of good ones after which we had some fortunate ones,” Kerr stated. “Jordan (Poole) had a wild one and Steph had a few wild ones…. We made seven-to-10 insane performs which can be going to get us beat in an enormous recreation and in opposition to good groups, so we’ve acquired to get higher.”
Protection Shift
The Wolves’ Karl-Anthony Cities scored 23 of his game-high 31 factors within the first half. He and the opposite Wolves repeatedly attacked the basket in opposition to an undersized Warriors squad. Kevon Looney acquired into foul bother early within the recreation which made issues worse. With out Looney on the ground, the Warriors didn't have a constant inside presence, which left them susceptible within the paint.
Minnesota exploited this weak point by scoring 31 factors within the paint. Within the second half, Golden State trapped and doubled KAT. Plus they pushed the Wolves’ offense out of the paint and compelled them to shoot from the perimeter, holding them to 22.7 p.c from deep. Kerr believed that the adjustment was essential in turning the sport round.
“The truth that he torched us within the first half was what went into that,” Kerr stated, referring to Cities. “We had no alternative. Kevon Looney with 4 fouls on the half, to be able to preserve him on the ground we wanted to ship a double and we did a superb job with it. “
Curry Flurry?
Curry has been in a stoop for practically two months. Whereas his percentages from Tuesday night time’s recreation in opposition to Dallas recreation didn’t replicate it, there have been indicators that he was discovering his shot once more. In opposition to the Mavericks, Curry discovered a rhythm together with his mid-range jumper and a pair of floaters earlier than going away from it. In opposition to the Wolves, it was the alternative. Curry shot from deep and acquired that going, whereas combating midrange photographs and drives earlier than ending the night time on 50/60/100 capturing splits.
New Lineup
Kerr as soon as once more deployed a lineup that paired Jonathan Kuminga and Nemanja Bjelica with Curry, Thompson and Poole. This lineup, heavy on offense and flexibility, produced six factors and a turnover in a couple of minutes of the second quarter. Kerr likes what he sees from this unit to date not solely offensively however on protection as nicely.
“It’s a pleasant offensive mixture,” he stated. “JK offers us a man who can match up with any place. We put him on Cities, which was an awesome expertise for him. Cities had a tremendous recreation and acquired Loon in foul bother and we determined let’s give JK the expertise as a result of we expect he can guard 1 by 5. We’re simply attempting to carry him alongside and he’s achieved a pleasant job with that.”