SAN FRANCISCO — Andrew Wiggins was exhausting to identify on the bench. Wearing head-to-toe black athletic gear, he blended in with the Warriors’ teaching employees, sporting similar outfits Tuesday evening.
However these within the constructing didn’t must see Wiggins to know he was formally again from a 50-day absence throughout which he has missed 23 consecutive regular-season video games for an undisclosed household matter. Wiggins gave a smile and a salute to followers who cheered him on when he was flashed on the massive board throughout a timeout early within the first quarter of the Warriors’ win over Oklahoma Metropolis.
“We love his presence. The Wiggs smile, having him within the locker room was huge. It was nice to have him again, to say the least,” Stephen Curry mentioned.
“That’s what it’s about, you perceive how a lot he’s been embraced by the fan base and group and that’s the love you present your personal. There’s been lots of pointless dialog round him and the entire state of affairs. You don’t need to overreact to all the pieces that goes on on the web, however it’s a matter of embracing him and giving him the area to come back again and revel in basketball once more.”
Wiggins made it again to the world, however his return to the courtroom remains to be to be decided.
Two regular-season video games stay, in Sacramento on Friday and in Portland on Sunday with the Warriors within the driver’s seat to solidify the Western Convention’s sixth seed. However the odds Wiggins will probably be able to play, even by Sunday, are slim.
If Golden State avoids the play-in, Wiggins will get every week between the ultimate regular-season sport and Sport 1 of the primary spherical on April 15 to ramp up and get into enjoying form.
Wiggins’ actual timeline will probably be decided within the coming days as he works with director of sports activities medication and efficiency Rick Celebrini. He went by way of an on-court exercise with assistant coach Jama Mahlalela and noticed Celebrini upon his return on Tuesday.
Wiggins mentioned he did some conditioning throughout his time away and received photographs up.
“I don’t suppose it’ll be too lengthy earlier than I’m on the market,” Wiggins mentioned.
It’s unclear how a lot he'll be capable of contribute when he returns to motion. His two-way skills as a wing stopper and scorer had been essential within the Warriors’ title run final 12 months. He will probably be needed in any matchup in opposition to Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers or Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.
If Wiggins can leap proper in as a wanted defender and rebounder, the Warriors’ probability for an prolonged playoff run goes up. Kerr couldn’t say if Wiggins will begin in his first video games again, or if he will probably be on a minutes restriction. All of it depends upon Wiggins’ outlook for the subsequent few days.
“We haven’t even had these conversations but,” Kerr mentioned.
The prolonged absence provides to a wierd general season for Wiggins. The iron man has missed essentially the most video games of any season in his profession, together with 15 with a proper adductor pressure and a number of non-COVID sicknesses earlier this 12 months. He has performed simply 37 video games to date. Save for the shortened 2020 pandemic season, essentially the most video games Wiggins had missed in a season was 11 again in 2021.
Wiggins had his finest sport of the season on Feb. 13, the day earlier than his 23-game absence started, in opposition to the Washington Wizards. He scored 29 factors with seven rebounds, 4 assists and three 3-pointers and was plus-21 general.
“I feel Andrew is a two-way participant on the highest stage,” Kerr mentioned. “He was considered one of our most essential gamers final 12 months within the playoffs. And I feel you guys know the playoffs are actually about two-way basketball. Can you place somebody on the courtroom like Andrew who can rating and defend on the identical time?
“Our groups right here have at all times been blessed with lots of these gamers, and when you are able to do that persistently, put two-way lineups on the courtroom, you might have a greater probability to win. It’s simply that easy. He’s considered one of our greatest two-way guys. Final 12 months within the playoffs, he was scoring 17, 18 factors a sport, considered one of our greatest rebounders and we put him on the perfect offensive participant evening after evening.”
