Warriors' Steve Kerr Talks Holding Andrew Wiggins Out of Final 2 Regular-Season Games

Golden State Warriors swingman Andrew Wiggins will not have the chance to make his return from an extended absence, which was caused by a family matter, in either of the team's last two regular-season games.

On Thursday, head coach Steve Kerr explained the decision to sit Wiggins until the playoffs, telling reporters the team would have given him a few weeks to build up if it were for the regular season, but since the playoffs loom, the plan is for him to ramp up quickly.

Wiggins rejoined the Warriors earlier this week. While speaking to reporters Tuesday, the 28-year-old was hopeful he'd be back on the court soon, saying, "I don't think it will be too long before I'm out there."

In addition to Golden State's final two games, Wiggins will have missed a total of 45 games this season. He was forced to sit out multiple times earlier in the year due to left foot soreness, a strained adductor and a bout with a non-COVID-19 illness.

When healthy, Wiggins has been solid for the Warriors. In his 37 appearances, he averaged 17.1 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting a career-high 39.6 percent from beyond the arc.

His exceptional wing defense has been sorely missed, as Golden State ranks 23rd in the NBA by allowing an average of 117.6 points. It was just a year ago that the team ranked third in scoring defense at 105.5 points per game, largely due to Wiggins' impact on that end of the floor.

The Warriors are surely hoping he will be in top form as they try to defend their 2022 championship. At 42-38, Golden State is still jostling for position in the Western Conference, as the fifth seed and ninth seed are separated by just two games. The team sits in sixth.

The Warriors will look to build some momentum toward to postseason when they return to action Friday against the Sacramento Kings (48-32).