On Monday, Andrew Wiggins scored 26 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics, putting them one win away from a seventh NBA title.
With Stephen Curry having a rare off-night following his 43-point game-four heroics, Wiggins took command of a balanced Golden State offensive effort, putting the Warriors up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.
Wiggins had a tremendous game on both ends of the Chase Center floor for the Warriors, hitting 12-of-23 from the field and grabbing 13 rebounds, two steals, and a block.
The Warriors are one victory away from clinching their fourth NBA title since 2015
Andrew Christian Wiggins is a professional basketball player from Canada who currently plays for the Golden State Warriors of the NBA (NBA).
About Andrew Christian Wiggins
After one year of collegiate basketball with the Kansas Jayhawks, he was taken first overall in the 2014 NBA draught by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“In 2020, he was moved to Golden State after five and a half seasons with Minnesota.“
When he was designated a Western Conference starter in 2022, Wiggins was selected for his first NBA All-Star game. He has also represented Canada at the international level.
Golden State Warriors guard Andrew Wiggins advanced his case for NBA Finals MVP:
You’d probably predict that the Golden State Warriors will win Game 5 of the NBA Finals with Stephen Curry who would create history. Curry, after all, was coming off a jaw-dropping 43-point, 10-rebound performance in Game 4 that put him in the company of icons Magic Johnson and Jerry West at point guard. There appeared to be no limit to the possibilities.
On Monday night, the greatest shooter of all time went 0-for-9 from 3-point range, marking the first time in 132 playoff games (and 233 regular-season games) that he failed to hit a single 3-pointer. Curry scored 16 points, about 20 less than he had in the previous four games of the Finals.
Despite everything, the Warriors pushed, hustled, and pressured their way to a 104-94 triumph over the Boston Celtics to grab a 3-2 lead and move within a single win of the franchise’s fourth NBA title in eight seasons.
On Monday, watching the Warriors was like watching the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air after Aunt Viv was replaced with a different actress. It’s the same program, but it’s a little different than you’re accustomed to.
Coming into Game 5, everyone was talking about how much Curry had been carrying the Warriors. It was the focus of talk programs, a discussion point at Sunday’s media availability, and material for NBA social media icon King Josiah’s laughter.
Match Highlights:
Wiggins led the Warriors in scoring with 27 points, including five three-pointers, while Klay Thompson chipped in with 21 points and five three-pointers, continuing a series of clutch performances with the Warriors’ playoff hopes hanging in the balance.
From the bench, Gary Payton II (15 points) and Jordan Poole (14) both scored in double figures.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr chose smaller lines after Kevon Looney was limited to 17 minutes due to early foul problems, allowing Payton to shine. On his way to 15 points, five boards, and three steals on 6-for-8 shooting, he displayed his rare blend of outstanding perimeter defense and inside scoring.
Jordan Poole was likely the most essential player for the Warriors’ triumph in terms of momentum. During his debut playoff run, the 22-year-old has had his ups and downs, but he came to the Celtics’ rescue towards the conclusion of the third quarter when they had turned a 12-point halftime deficit into a five-point advantage.
Poole unleashed a 38-footer that struck the glass and banked in as the buzzer sounded to close the session. His second lengthy buzzer-beater of the series handed the Warriors an advantage they wouldn’t lose.
Draymond Green, who has been heavily chastised in recent weeks, put up eight points, eight rebounds, and six assists to go along with eight rebounds and six assists, setting the tone from the opening tip with his intensity and pressure on both ends of the court.
Curry, the Warriors’ icon and front-runner for NBA Finals MVP, scored 16 points on 7-of-22 shooting and 0/9 shooting from three-point range.
Curry failed to make a three-pointer for the first time in his postseason career, and it was the first time he had gone without a three-pointer in an NBA game since 2018.
With 27 points, Jayson Tatum led Boston’s scoring, followed by Marcus Smart (20) and Jayson Brown (18).
The Celtics were led by Jayson Tatum, who had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Marcus Smart produced a double-double with 20 points and three rebounds. Jaylen Brown rounded out the scoring with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four assists.
However, the Celtics, who effectively kept Curry out of the game for lengthy stretches, were left cursing another high turnover total of 18 compared to Golden State’s six.
During a wild third-quarter showing in which they outscored the Warriors 35-24 before wilting in the fourth quarter, Boston threatened to replicate their shocking game one triumph in San Francisco.
The Celtics’ explosive second-half scoring erased a 12-point Warriors lead after the first two quarters.
After a strong defensive effort by Golden State in the first half, Boston was held to just 39 points at halftime, trailing 51-39.
After the break, the Celtics turned the tide, erasing Golden State’s lead in a matter of minutes with back-to-back Tatum three-pointers to pull within two points, 51-49.
Soon after, Smart hit another three-pointer to knot the game at 55-55, before Al Horford hit his eighth consecutive three-pointer to give the Celtics their first lead of the game, 58-55.
Boston went on to take a five-point lead at 66-61, a 17-point swing from halftime, but the Warriors dug deep to reply.
The Warriors led 75-74 going into the fourth quarter after Poole’s buzzer-beating three-pointer.
In the fourth quarter, the Warriors recovered, with Wiggins scoring a layup to start an answering 10-0 run that gave Golden State an 11-point lead at 85-74.
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The Warriors never looked like giving up the lead after that, and Wiggins would go on to score 10 points as the Warriors slammed the door shut on a well-deserved victory.
The NBA Finals will resume on Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET in Boston. The Warriors will win their sixth title in franchise history if they win. With a victory, the Celtics will force a Game 7 and return the series to San Francisco.
