5 surprises key to Golden State Warriors’ success

Dec 23, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) gestures after shooting a three-point basket during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) gestures after shooting a three-point basket during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
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Golden State Warriors (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

5) Wiggins’ shooting

Andrew Wiggins has slowly but surely shed his previous identity as an inefficient, unengaged player.

Wiggins started to show signs of his growth last year, but with a large enough sample size of games under his belt in 2021-22, he officially has proven that he is a new player.

His shooting splits of 48.3% from the field and 41.2% from three are both by far career highs, and for the first time since 2017-18, Wiggins has posted a positive plus/minus with +5.5.

On top of that, he is drawing the toughest defensive assignment every night, helping anchor the league’s top defense.

His improved play has not gone unnoticed, as he will make his first All-star appearance of his career.

Wiggins’ development is something that the experts surely did not see coming, but he has solidified himself into a crucial role on the team.