After his first 14 games as a member of the Miami Heat, Andrew Wiggins is starting to find his footing. And the NBA champion and former All-Star put his all-around skill set on display against his former team on Tuesday.
Wiggins helped the Miami Heat spoil Jimmy Butler's return in Tuesday night's win over the Golden State Warriors.
Heading into the matchup, Wiggins was in the midst of a dominant two-game stint offensively. The talented forward put up a combined 72 points in that stretch, including a 42-point masterpiece on over 75% shooting from the field. Most importantly, that offensive explosion led to a win that snapped the Heat’s 10-game losing streak.
Although he didn’t have that same impact offensively against Butler’s Warriors, he still showcased his ability on the defensive end.
It's been a Wiggins showcase over the last three games.
Wiggins finished with just 10 points, but added three blocks and two steals. His performance helped set the tone in one of Miami's best defensive performances of the season and his game-changing plays came at crucial times to squash Golden State’s momentum.
His two-way versatility makes him an ideal player in coach Erik Spoelstra’s system.
That elite defensive side of Wiggins’ game is one that Warriors fans know well. (They'll remember him defending Jayson Tatum in the 2022 Finals.)
Wiggins brings championship effort and experience on a nightly basis and can impact the game in so many different ways— even if his shot is off. Listed at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan, his length aligns exactly with what the Heat are looking for out of the frontcourt. Wiggins joins Bam Adebayo in a frontcourt that includes two highly-switchable and versatile defenders.
According to advanced stats, Wiggins has been one of the league's best individual defenders over the last two seasons.
Despite missing some games due to a nagging ankle injury after the trade deadline, Wiggins is finally healthy, back in the lineup, and is starting to teach Heat fans what Warriors fans already knew: Wiggins is a winning piece.