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The Golden State Warriors are looking to avoid elimination from the playoffs in Friday’s Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers, but they may be without one of their best players.
According to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Warriors swingman Andrew Wiggins is considered questionable for the game because of “a left costal cartilage fracture, which is an area of the rib cage.”
Wiggins is coming off his best game of the postseason, scoring 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting while adding seven rebounds and five assists in Golden State’s Game 5 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called it his best performance since returning from a two-month absence to start the playoffs.
Andrews noted that it is unclear when Wiggins sustained the injury. The 28-year-old is the main defender of the Golden State of Lakers star LeBron James, which is a tall task for anyone in the league.
The defending-champion Warriors, who trail the Lakers, 3-2, are looking to play in their second consecutive Game 7. Golden State was swept in seven games in the first round by the Sacramento Kings and earned a 20-point victory to advance. in the second round behind Stephen Curry’s 50-point outburst.
If the Warriors are without Wiggins this Friday, Curry and Klay Thompson will lead the offense while Draymond Green will be relied on for his strong defense. Jordan Poole, Gary Payton II and Donte DiVincenzo will see more minutes, so it’s up to them to make the most of their time on the floor.