Wiggins played all-Star level games throughout the first half of the season and was named to the All-Star starting lineup for the first time in his career. Only since then, Wiggins has embarked on a cliff-like decline, even if the last game against the Nuggets finally scored 20+ again, but he once scored less than 20 points in 14 consecutive games, and in such 14 games, the total of 26 free throws, only as low as 34.6% free throw shooting rate.
A special area that has plagued Wiggins is the free throw line, which has a career-worst 63 percent free throw shooting percentage this season, but has been worse lately. In 14 consecutive games with less than 20 points, Wiggins scored 9 of 26 free throws from the free throw line, shooting as little as 34.6 percent from the free throw line.
"It's tough, I'm not used to missing so many free throws, I have to work hard. I'm a good shooter, so I know the feel of the free throws will come back. I could keep shooting, so I knew it was going to get it right. I feel comfortable now. I performed perfectly today, so it's a step in the right direction. Wiggins said this after the Nuggets' recovery in Game I.
Wiggins broke the embarrassment of scoring less than 20 points in 14 consecutive games, and he scored not only 21 points against the Nuggets, but also 2-of-2 on the free throw line, even if the sample was too small.
Wiggins had a 72.4 percent free throw shooting percentage in his career for the first seven years of his career, so it's hard to believe he'll stay cold for too long. At the very least, Wiggins' free throw shooting percentage won't be close to 34.6 percent. That's a number that even the worst-ever free throwers, from O'Neal to Jordan Jr., to Drummond and Howard, haven't been below such a free-throw crosshair all season.
"I just thought, I can't play worse than I am now, so it's only going to go up from here. I'm putting in the work, practicing hard, getting extra shooting opportunities. So I knew it was going to come, and I tried to be patient, hoping it was a turning point for me. Wiggins said so.
In addition to his free throw percentage, Wiggins' average of points per game has also dropped dramatically, averaging just 13.4 points per game in his last 14 games before that. Despite declining production, Wiggins' shooting percentage remains high, with his 47 percent shooting percentage and 40.1 percent three-point shooting. Until Wiggins re-emerges as a stable contributor, this is likely to be just a bad month or a phased manifestation of a random anomaly.
The Golden State Warriors need Wiggins back to All-Star status as they try to make the playoffs again and aim to storm the championship.
(Drunken Lying Floating Life)