"He's really showing and using the athleticism that we all had known that he's had forever" - Draymond Green points out Warriors star elevated to another level in NBA Finals
Draymond Green praised Andrew Wiggins on “The Draymond Green Show” when breaking down the Game 5 clash in the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors topped the Boston Celtics 104-94 on Monday to take a 3-2 series lead, and Wiggins was at the helm of the win.
Wiggins led the Warriors in scoring (26 points) and rebounding (13) while shooting an efficient 52.2%. The Warriors started strong in the first half and secured the win despite the Celtics’ third-quarter surge.
On the podcast, Green recognized Wiggins’ contributions:
“I love the aggressiveness. What I love most about the 26 points is not that he had 26 points. It's that he took 23 shots. And that just shows the aggressiveness. It was exactly what we needed – especially with Steph’s struggles.”
Steph Curry struggled in Game 5, scoring only 16 points on 31.8% shooting. From deep, it was an off-night for Curry, as he missed all nine attempts. However, his teammates came to his rescue. Wiggins and Klay Thompson combined for 47 points, and Gary Payton and Jordan Poole added a combined 29 points off the bench.
Wiggins had his best offensive contribution in Game 5, and his defense was also top notch. He still did a good job of defending Jayson Tatum, forcing him into taking a lot of difficult shots. Wiggins’ build helps him be highly effective on both ends of the floor.
Draymond Green had high praise for Andrew Wiggins following the @warriors Game 5 win to go up 3-2 in the series! https://t.co/WjtxfnbE2t
Green appreciated Wiggins’ effectiveness on the boards:
“Now, Wiggs has been rebounding the entire playoffs. He has been rebounding extremely well. Offensively, defensively – he’s really showing and using the athleticism that we all have known that he’s had forever.”
Wiggins has been impressive throughout the playoffs, excelling in more than just one role. He’s been an effective defender, rebounder and scorer – raising the bar with every passing game.
Draymond Green talks about the physicality of the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics possess size, and that is something that they’ve been able to utilize pretty successfully throughout the playoffs. Robert Williams and Al Horford, along with Jayson Tatum, have made it hard for their opponents to get easy buckets inside the paint. Even rebounding against the C's has been a challenge for most teams.
Here is just some of the Warriors' defensive work in Game 5. Draymond Green early rotations, Andrew Wiggins in isolation/weak side/rebounding/screen navigation, a spry/switchy Klay Thompson, Gary Payton II the steal magnet. https://t.co/mDZ7URkJvH
Draymond Green is happy with the way his team has taken up the challenge, saying:
“I think that the thing most people have to understand is – and appreciate is – Boston is a very, very, very, very physical team. And to rebound against them, you have to take hits. You have to box out, because they have guys just as athletic as well.”
Andrew Wiggins, Green and Kevon Looney have been impressive on the boards – combining for 121 rebounds throughout the series. Of those, 34 have been on the offensive end.
The Warriors will need to keep their energy levels as high in Game 6 in Boston on Thursday. It will be interesting to see if the Celtics are able to force Game 7.