SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors are expected to be one step closer to fully healthy Wednesday when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center.
Chris Paul (lower left leg nerve contusion) and Andrew Wiggins (right index finger soreness) are probable for Wednesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Steve Kerr said Tuesday at Chase Center following Warriors practice.
“Probable,” Kerr said of Paul’s status. “He practiced and we scrimmaged a little bit. He came through with everything fine. We’ll call him probable.”
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When asked about Wiggins as a follow-up, Kerr only needed one word: “Same.”
Paul exited the Warriors’ Nov. 28 loss to the Sacramento Kings after only 4 1/2 minutes of action, scoring three points and swiping two steals. Both he and Wiggins have missed each of the Warriors’ last two games.
Wiggins slammed his finger in a car door and attempted to go through shootaround Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers, but the pain and lack of comfortability was too much to play. Wiggins and Paul were seen doing shooting drills Tuesday after practice, and Wiggins also went through dribbling drills in front of the media with assistant coaches Kenny Atkinson and Jacob Rubin.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors in their absence went 1-1, beating the Clippers at home and blowing a 22-point lead in LA.
Paul has played 18 games in his first season with the Warriors, starting seven and coming off the bench in 11. He’s averaging 8.9 points and 7.3 assists per game, both career lows, while also averaging a career-low 26.8 minutes per game. Paul’s shot has been inconsistent after a slow start – 39.9-percent shooting from the field overall and 32.8 percent on 3-pointers – but he has done exactly what he was brought in for: Limiting turnovers.
The 19-year veteran is turning the ball over just 1.1 times per game, the best of his career. Paul’s 42.8 assist ratio is the fourth-best mark in the NBA, per ESPN.
Wiggins has struggled offensively this season, averaging a career-low 12.8 points per game on 43.3-percent shooting (the second-worst of his career) and 26.7 percent from deep, a career low thus far. However, he did score 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting in his most recent game.
And his 10 rebounds that game gave Wiggins his first double-double of the season.
If Paul and Wiggins are back on the court against the Blazers, Kerr once again will face some tough rotation decisions.
“Yeah, that’s what we are facing tomorrow,” Kerr said. “If everybody’s healthy, then it’s just math. Not everyone’s going to be happy, that’s just the way it goes. We’ll adapt and we’ll have our rotation. Who knows how it plays out.
“Until we have to make a decision, we won’t make one.”
Gary Payton II remains out with a strained right calf, and will be re-evaluated Thursday.