Will Andrew Wiggins regain his 2022 playoff form?

[azwfan]

It's worth nothing that last season the Curry/Klay/Wigs/Dray group played *zero* regular season minutes together and were still almost +10 in the postseason.

We aren't the favorites but I bet nobody wants to play us now.

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It just shows how much this team has accomplished and the respect theyve earned over the years. Any respect or fear that another team has of us is based on nothing from this season. Its based entirely on our “dna”.

[Dom801e]

Would not mind seeing DDV, GP2, Wiggins, Kuminga, Green lineup in short bursts.

[Crazy-Canuck]

It's unlikely that wiggs will be ready to play the last 3 games, but I think his appearance will do wonders for that lockerroom.

[xdrta+]

It's unlikely that wiggs will be ready to play the last 3 games, but I think his appearance will do wonders for that lockerroom.

Nah, I think he'll play a little Friday, maybe a little more Sunday. The Playin game is two days later on Tuesday, if they don't avoid it, and they're going to want him for that. The playoffs start 3 days after that--he has to start ramping up. He should be well rested, anyway.

[thunderdunk]

For a while we've been wondering what they have when they get Wiggs back. Now we'll find out. No matter what, he's an improvement. First question -- will they secure the 6th seed?

[vagelis]

I think he will be ready when playoffs start.
Hope that his father (who was a big scorer for the greek league) is better and he will be happy with his son having another big run in nba playoffs

[watch1958]

Will be interesting to see if Kerr can work Wiggins in without losing games to do it. He will have to juggle ramping Andrew up vs. avoiding the playin. Yikes. They really could have used a win against Minnesota and/or Denver.

[azwfan]

Will be interesting to see if Kerr can work Wiggins in without losing games to do it. He will have to juggle ramping Andrew up vs. avoiding the playin. Yikes. They really could have used a win against Minnesota and/or Denver.

Using the Denver game as a template:
Curry: 36
Klay: 39
DDV:31
Dray:36
Loon:27
Poole:19
Jk:22
Lamb:15
GP2:11

Give him Lamb’s minutes. Cant see that hurting us.

[michaelm]

I still don't get him having to be away for almost 2 months because of his father's protracted illness.

Sure a couple of weeks but he also has siblings.

He has familial responsibilities but what about his professional responsibilities.

You have to wonder where his head will be, aside from lack of fitness when the team most needed him.

None of us would get 2 months of bereavement leave and certainly not for being bedside to a loved one who was sick. Maybe a couple of weeks but not two months.

As I explained earlier, that is false.

FMLA allows for extended leave in situations like this, and the majority of American workers are eligible for FMLA under the right circumstances. Whether or not FMLA applies to NBA players, the idea that someone would get 2 months off to care for a family member isn't weird. The fact that you expect him to bounce a ball for your amusement while his father might be dying is weird.

As for his brother,
a) maybe he only needed one person to care for him
b) maybe the brother doesn't get along with him or isn't as close
c) it isn't any of our business. It is their family.

Personally, I'm glad the team respected his prioritization of his family and provided support, and I'm glad some of your opinions are completely irrelevant on the subject.

Even if a company was forced to give you paid leave for 2 months like that, they are going to look at you a certain way, when it comes to ranking you vs. others for the purposes of salary increases or layoffs.

Companies don't just give a couple of months of pay for someone not working, not willingly. Stingy employers are loath to give 2 m months salary when they do lay you off.

Second best player in a title win is rather big in the NBA, where several franchises haven’t won any titles at all, and probably grants an NBA player more grace than might be the case in more mundane “commercial” employment.

[ShootersShoot]

Will be interesting to see if Kerr can work Wiggins in without losing games to do it. He will have to juggle ramping Andrew up vs. avoiding the playin. Yikes. They really could have used a win against Minnesota and/or Denver.

Using the Denver game as a template:
Curry: 36
Klay: 39
DDV:31
Dray:36
Loon:27
Poole:19
Jk:22
Lamb:15
GP2:11

Give him Lamb’s minutes. Cant see that hurting us.

He could probably take a few minutes from klay and DDV as well.

[Sleepy51]

Will be interesting to see if Kerr can work Wiggins in without losing games to do it. He will have to juggle ramping Andrew up vs. avoiding the playin. Yikes. They really could have used a win against Minnesota and/or Denver.

Using the Denver game as a template:
Curry: 36
Klay: 39
DDV:31
Dray:36
Loon:27
Poole:19
Jk:22
Lamb:15
GP2:11

Give him Lamb’s minutes. Cant see that hurting us.

He could probably take a few minutes from klay and DDV as well.

Assuming he snaps back quickly Wiggins unlocks a lot in this roster. He can take minutes from anyone from 2 to 4 and that relieves us of needing multiple bench players to be playing at a high enough level to face opposing starting units. This allows Kerr to sit anyone who is struggling off the bench, without having to rely on Lamb as that replacement. JK, Poole, GPII, Dante any of them can help us or hurt us in a given stretch. Now with Wiggs back Kerr can go with who he thinks can give energy or target a particular matchup and then get them off the floor if they aren't producing. Which is totally as it should be in a playoff rotation.

Still don't see how this gets us the necessary road wins to go deep into the playoffs but maybe rallying around Wiggs is the chemistry tonic they need.

[Big J]

Using the Denver game as a template:
Curry: 36
Klay: 39
DDV:31
Dray:36
Loon:27
Poole:19
Jk:22
Lamb:15
GP2:11

Give him Lamb’s minutes. Cant see that hurting us.

He could probably take a few minutes from klay and DDV as well.

Assuming he snaps back quickly Wiggins unlocks a lot in this roster. He can take minutes from anyone from 2 to 4 and that relieves us of needing multiple bench players to be playing at a high enough level to face opposing starting units. This allows Kerr to sit anyone who is struggling off the bench, without having to rely on Lamb as that replacement. JK, Poole, GPII, Dante any of them can help us or hurt us in a given stretch. Now with Wiggs back Kerr can go with who he thinks can give energy or target a particular matchup and then get them off the floor if they aren't producing. Which is totally as it should be in a playoff rotation.

Still don't see how this gets us the necessary road wins to go deep into the playoffs but maybe rallying around Wiggs is the chemistry tonic they need.

The road issues this year were mostly due to old legs having to travel so much. Road games in the playoffs should be easier due to being in the same city for multiple nights, and games spread out more. Look at our defense home vs away stats. That won't happen in the playoffs when guys care more and have more days to rest.

[Sleepy51]

The road issues this year were mostly due to old legs having to travel so much. Road games in the playoffs should be easier due to being in the same city for multiple nights, and games spread out more. Look at our defense home vs away stats. That won't happen in the playoffs when guys care more and have more days to rest.

It's not just the legs. They don't play connected on the road. Communication sucks. Draymond points more fingers on D than calling out instructions. Klay's been on body language death row for half the season (mostly the road half.) These guys have never connected emotionally as a unit all year long. The necessary "sacrifice" that Andre described as defining how the team plays years ago never happened this season and they have continue to play on the road like guys who just met ... and don't like each other very much. That has contributed to the road record as much as vets getting stiff from spending a few hours on a private plane.


Andre talked years ago about how every team has to be built around sacrifice. There really hasn’t been anyone willing to do that this year. Maybe Wiggins coming back will be perceived as that kind of sacrifice and give these guys something to bond around emotionally because they need it. Badly.

[Big J]

The road issues this year were mostly due to old legs having to travel so much. Road games in the playoffs should be easier due to being in the same city for multiple nights, and games spread out more. Look at our defense home vs away stats. That won't happen in the playoffs when guys care more and have more days to rest.

It's not just the legs. They don't play connected on the road. Communication sucks. Draymond points more fingers on D than calling out instructions. Klay's been on body language death row for half the season (mostly the road half.) These guys have never connected emotionally as a unit all year long. The necessary "sacrifice" that Andre described as defining how the team plays years ago never happened this season and they have continue to play on the road like guys who just met ... and don't like each other very much. That has contributed to the road record as much as vets getting stiff from spending a few hours on a private plane.


Andre talked years ago about how every team has to be built around sacrifice. There really hasn’t been anyone willing to do that this year. Maybe Wiggins coming back will be perceived as that kind of sacrifice and give these guys something to bond around emotionally because they need it. Badly.

I'm not saying I disagree with you here, because there probably is something to this, but how do you explain why this doesn't matter in our home games?

[Sleepy51]

The road issues this year were mostly due to old legs having to travel so much. Road games in the playoffs should be easier due to being in the same city for multiple nights, and games spread out more. Look at our defense home vs away stats. That won't happen in the playoffs when guys care more and have more days to rest.

It's not just the legs. They don't play connected on the road. Communication sucks. Draymond points more fingers on D than calling out instructions. Klay's been on body language death row for half the season (mostly the road half.) These guys have never connected emotionally as a unit all year long. The necessary "sacrifice" that Andre described as defining how the team plays years ago never happened this season and they have continue to play on the road like guys who just met ... and don't like each other very much. That has contributed to the road record as much as vets getting stiff from spending a few hours on a private plane.


Andre talked years ago about how every team has to be built around sacrifice. There really hasn’t been anyone willing to do that this year. Maybe Wiggins coming back will be perceived as that kind of sacrifice and give these guys something to bond around emotionally because they need it. Badly.

I'm not saying I disagree with you here, because there probably is something to this, but how do you explain why this doesn't matter in our home games?

They all have their own separate families friends and support systems at home. Traveling with a team, you actually do have to interact with those dudes in some way or you're just staring into your phone or hiding under headphones for long portions of the travel day. That would suck. I've travelled a lot for work over the years and it can be absolutely lonely. If you were traveling "with" people but still separated from them by age, cliques, performance beef, or whatever and for multiple days at a time? It would be soul sucking.

[michaelm]

The road issues this year were mostly due to old legs having to travel so much. Road games in the playoffs should be easier due to being in the same city for multiple nights, and games spread out more. Look at our defense home vs away stats. That won't happen in the playoffs when guys care more and have more days to rest.

It's not just the legs. They don't play connected on the road. Communication sucks. Draymond points more fingers on D than calling out instructions. Klay's been on body language death row for half the season (mostly the road half.) These guys have never connected emotionally as a unit all year long. The necessary "sacrifice" that Andre described as defining how the team plays years ago never happened this season and they have continue to play on the road like guys who just met ... and don't like each other very much. That has contributed to the road record as much as vets getting stiff from spending a few hours on a private plane.


Andre talked years ago about how every team has to be built around sacrifice. There really hasn’t been anyone willing to do that this year. Maybe Wiggins coming back will be perceived as that kind of sacrifice and give these guys something to bond around emotionally because they need it. Badly.

I agree. They definitely haven't been the happy band of brothers playing with joy they have been in previous years, and "the punch" in the off-season may well be a significant contributor to same. Someone theorised early on that for home games they are not constantly in each other's company for several days, and when this is the case for road games it gives opportunity for tensions to rise between guys who don't like each other, which seemed a reasonable theory to me. Hopefully Wiggins returning may help as has been said, they all seem to like him, and the organisation allowing him the time off in his circumstances may remind everyone of how things were previously over the course of the dynastic run.

[Sleepy51]

And I'm not disagreeing with you entirely either. Vets do not like to travel even if they do like their teammates. Sitting in even a business class plane seat for 4 hours will mess up your body rhythms and exacerbate fatigue etc. Its just nothing is ever only one thing. It's certainly a combination of factors to be this bad on the road. But something has to change, and the age thing isn't going to change for the better.

[Big J]

True that. I also think there is less urgency with this group having done it 4 times already. Gotta be hard to get up for regular season games when your only reward is one more home game per series.

[watch1958]

I think the core is slow to realize that the type of help they need changes as they get older. Five years ago it was “play smart and stay out of the way.”

Now they need more athleticism and skill, but no one is quite sure how to let that grow and develop.

So you end up telling your scrubs you don’t want to play with them, then whining when they don’t have enough reps to help.

[Big J]

Weirdly I think we're missing a Maggette type who we can just dump the ball to and watch him draw fouls when our vets need a blow.