Golden State Warriors are missing James Wiseman

James Wiseman hasn’t appeared in a Golden State Warriors‘ game since January 30 and the team is really starting to miss the rookie’s presence. Wiseman was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and he was starting to make a big impact in short minutes off the bench.

Since spraining his wrist, the Warriors have been playing small-ball with no traditional center. This is because their other bigs, Kevon Looney and Marquese Chriss, also happen to be injured. The short-five has done alright, keeping the Warriors competitive but it’s clear they need Wiseman back.

The Golden State Warriors have struggled without a traditional center and James Wiseman can’t return soon enough.

Since Wiseman’s injury, the Warriors hold a 5-6 record. The team ranks 14th in rebounding but allows the 2nd most opponent rebounds.  Surprisingly, they’re giving up fewer points in the paint and second-chance points during this stretch.

However, their numbers are a bit skewed due to the teams they’ve faced. For example, they bulldozed the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers and a San Antonio Spurs team without LaMarcus Aldridge. We also have to give credit to Juan Tuscano Anderson who has held his own against the likes of Nikola Vucevic and Bam Adebayo.

Nonetheless, I wouldn’t expect the short-handed Warriors to keep this up. They are desperate for some size down low and the release valve of throwing a lob to Wiseman is sorely missed. His height, speed and athleticism will make a major difference for the Dubs when he returns.

The Warriors are hopeful Wiseman will be back in the lineup on Tuesday against the New York Knicks. This would be ideal as the Knicks score the sixth-highest percentage of their points in the paint across the league.

Most of all, it will just be nice to see Wiseman have a chance to work on his game again. He’s already looked better as a shooter than we could have expected at this point, shooting 9-of-22 (40 percent) from deep so far.

The more time Wiseman gets under his belt, the sooner he will be a star for the Dubs. We can’t wait to see him back on the floor and hopefully, it happens soon.