Picture Credit: NBA
Andrew Wiggins is certainly living his dream with the Golden State Warriors team, as the former number 1 pick delivered yet another scintillating performance to put Golden State Warriors just 1 win away from their 7th overall NBA Championship. Wiggins scored team-high 26 points with 13 rebounds to win game-5 for the team.
Wiggins came up strong on both ends of the floor to give Golden State Warriors a 3-2 lead in the series. The game was played at the Chase Center, where Dub nation found a new hero in their 104-94 win over the Boston Celtics team.
After the game-winning performance, Andrew Wiggins expressed his feelings in the post-game interview as he said, “It's something I dreamt about for sure, and being in the league; this is the ultimate stage. It doesn't get bigger than this.”
Nicknamed Mr. Fantastic, Wiggins put up an excellent show for the home fans. Wiggins was a very consistent performer for the Warriors throughout the postseason. He averages 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. But tonight he delivered the best game yet of his eight-year career when it was needed most.
The 27-year-old star was 12-of-23 from the field and grabbed 12 defensive rebounds with 2 steals and 1 block in the game. Life in the Bay Area suited the Canadian Star as he earned his 1st All-star starting role earlier this season and is on course to win his 1st NBA title. Thanking his team Wiggins added, “I feel like being here, it’s just such a winning culture… They always put you in a position to succeed.”
Golden State Warriors were riding high on their influential leader Stephen Curry’s performances, who led all the scorers throughout the series. But in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA finals, Celtics shifted their focus on the 3-point king, limiting him to just 16 points in the game. Klay Thompson also benefitted from some open looks as he scored 21 points with 50% shooting from the field.
As for the Celtics, who found themselves on the blink of losing the NBA Finals after the 2010 season, Jayson Tatum score 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the game, while Marcus Smart added 20 points to their tally. The 17-time champions will host Warriors for Game-6 at TD Garden on 16th June.