Beijing time, March 23, 2023, after today's Warriors 127-125 win over the Lone Ranger, Warriors coach Kerr was interviewed, he publicly shouted in front of the media, hoping that Wiggins could return to the team as soon as possible, saying: "I hope Wiggins and Gary Payton can come back early." Both of them are so important to us, they have played a huge role in our championship journey and we have to have them if we want to win the championship."
So far this season, Wiggins has only played 37 games for the Warriors due to injuries and personal reasons, averaging 32.2 minutes per game, 17.1 points, 5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks, shooting 47.3% from the field, 39.6% from three-point range and 61.1% from the free throw line. Wiggins can not only provide reliable defense to lock up the opponent's core players, but also provide stable play on the offensive end, especially the current Warriors' forward players can be extremely limited, which also makes Kerr miss Wiggins extremely and hope that he can return to the team as soon as possible! At present, Wiggins has missed 16 consecutive games, and there is still no specific return time, seeing that there is not much time left at the end of the regular season, it is uncertain whether Wiggins can catch the playoffs, and the state of Wiggins' comeback that has been absent for a long time is a question mark!
After being traded back to the Warriors this season, Payton Jr. has not played due to injury, but during his time with the Trail Blazers this season, Payton Jr. averaged 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game in 17 minutes per game, shooting 58.5% from the field, 52.9% from three-point range, and 100% from the free throw line, performing very efficiently. Payton Jr. plays very aggressively and is equally powerful on the defensive end, and as a man who trades for Wiseman, Peyton Jr. is indeed worth looking forward to. And tomorrow Peyton Jr. will be re-evaluated by the injury, and perhaps it is not far from a comeback, which is great news for the Warriors!
After this game, the Warriors' record reached 38-36, sixth in the West, one win ahead of the Timberwolves behind them. At present, it seems that the Warriors' playoff spot is very stable, and with 8 regular season games left, the Warriors do not need to continue to rush higher in the rankings, and the current sixth place in the West is very beneficial to them. After all, with the current rankings, the Warriors will most likely make the playoffs against the Kings, third-placed in the West. Although the Kings' strength has been greatly improved this season, after all, this team has not entered the playoffs for more than a decade, and the players in the current roster are relatively lacking in playoff experience, and the experienced Warriors will most likely put on a good show!
If Wiggins and Payton Jr. can return before the playoffs, then they will start the playoffs with a complete lineup, and their return will also greatly improve the Warriors' defensive end, while also easing the pressure on the offensive end of the team, enriching Kerr's tactical play to make the team more deep, and the all-out Warriors are expected to go all the way up and continue to replicate last season's championship win!