Will the Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins play in Game 6 against the Lakers after fracturing a rib?
As they prepare for the critically important game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Warriors may have to do without one of their best players. Not good.
While there is never a good moment for injury, there are certainly very bad ones and that seems to be the situation facing the Warriors as they head to a massive game in their series with the Lakers. Should Wiggins be unable to play it will put a significant dent in the team’s hopes of staving off elimination.
Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins ‘questionable’ for Game 6
According to reports, The Golden State Warriors might have to do without the services of Andrew Wiggins for their crucial Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Wiggins was listed as questionable on Thursday by the Warriors due to a left costal cartilage fracture. This type of rib injury is normally the result of blunt force trauma i.e., he took a blow to his side. Though it remains unclear as to how and when the injury occurred, what is clear is that in his last outing - Wednesday’s 121-106 win - he finished his 36 minutes with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. That’s to say, should it come to pass that he can’t play, his contribution will be sorely missed. Indeed, Wiggins has averaged 16.8 points and 6 rebounds against the Lakers.
“This was the best game Wiggs has played since he’s been back over the three weeks or so now,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after Game 5. “Just the way he attacked, the way he got to the rim, that just adds another dimension to our attack. I thought the last couple games in LA, we didn’t get to the line a ton. We settled for a lot of stuff, and I thought Wiggs did a good job of really being aggressive.”
Can Andrew Wiggins play with a fractured rib?
Though it may sound impossible, it’s interesting to note that players have actually managed to play with fractured ribs before. Interestingly enough, one of Wiggins’ own teammates, Kevon Looney, did so during the 2019 NBA Finals after he took a heavy hit from Kawhi Leonard. Of course, at this point the Warriors can only wait and hope. On the other hand, with the team trailing 3-2 and facing the possibility of exiting the playoffs on Friday night, one has to believe that Wiggins will do everything he can to be available for this massively important game.