BREAKING: Andrew Wiggins is cleared to play Game 1 against the Kings in playoff series
The Golden State Warriors have announced that All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins will be back in the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs. After missing the team's last 20 games of the 2022-23 season due to a family matter, he's now cleared to play and make an impact on the court.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Wiggins will be coming off the bench. He's projected to play for a limited amount of time. Sources said that the one-time All-Star's playing time will range around 20-25 minutes as he gradually gets incorporated into Steve Kerr's system again.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins is cleared to play in Game 1 vs. Kings on Saturday, his first game since Feb. 13. Golden State is leaning toward Wiggins coming off the bench in a 20-to-25 minute playing time role, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater.
It will be his first game since Feb. 13 after he left the team to help his father deal with a serious medical condition. Wiggins finished the 2022-23 campaign averaging 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
You might also be interested in reading this: Breaking: Shams Charania reveals reason behind Andrew Wiggins’ prolonged absence
The absence of Andrew Wiggins helped other players of the team step up
When Andrew Wiggins started missing games, no one knew when he'd be available for the Warriors. For this reason, coaches had to tweak the rotation a bit, which helped others spend more time on the court in his place. The good thing behind this was that it helped the other players shine in the team's last 25 games.
The players that stood out the most were Donte DiVincenzo and Jonathan Kuminga. Both were inserted into the starting lineup in some of the games where they performed well.
DiVincenzo's last 25 games have shown how reliable he has been all season long. The 6-foot-4 averaged 10.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 3.9 apg in the final 25 games of the season. Additionally, he shot 44.3%, including 36.8% from beyond the arc.
Donte DiVincenzo was FANTASTIC!
16 PTS
6 REB
5 AST
2 STL
6-10 FG
4-8 3PT
80.0% eFG
HE WAS A +28. https://t.co/ympizXJPJR
Kuminga, on the other hand, has shown how he's developed into a solid role player for Golden State. While Wiggins was not with the team, the second-year forward suited up for the team's last 22 games. He averaged 13.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 2.0 apg.
Due to these performances by the two role players, it has helped the team prepare for their upcoming first-round series with the Sacramento Kings. These types of players are what could help the Warriors win the series over the young Kings.
The first-round matchup between the Warriors and Kings is bound to be exciting. With Wiggins back in the Golden State lineup, Sacramento will have to do a better job in stopping the defending champs.
Also read: "Family’s always first for me"- $109 million Warriors star Andrew Wiggins addresses media for the first time since returning after 22 games