Andrew Wiggins Ruled Out for Warriors vs. Lakers Due to Back Injury
February 28, 2020
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins will not play in Thursday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a thoracic spasm.
Wiggins has averaged 19.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on 48.3 percent shooting in six games for the Warriors. He was dealt from Minnesota to Golden State before the trade deadline in exchange for a package that included guard D'Angelo Russell.
The No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 NBA draft only missed one game during his first four seasons (knee soreness). Quad contusions and illness kept him off the court during the 2018-19 season, in which he missed nine games.
Without Wiggins, the Warriors don't have a No. 1 scorer to rely upon at the moment. A committee of players should handle the scoring load, including Eric Paschall, Damion Lee and Jordan Poole. Draymond Green should still fill his role as the team's Swiss Army knife.
Ultimately, the Warriors are looking ahead to the 2020-21 season as they play out the string of a lost 2019-20 campaign beset by numerous injuries and departures. Once there, the Warriors could be formidable once again, with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson back in the mix and Wiggins serving as a complementary scoring threat.
