Projected Warriors starting lineup for Game 6 without Andrew Wiggins
By Ian Levy
The Warriors have been looking for the right starting lineup against the Lakers. They may have to try something new without Andrew Wiggins in Game 6.
The Warriors have already been forced to use three different starting lineups in the first five games of their second-round series against the Lakers. Pairing Kevon Looney and Draymond Green proved to detrimental to their spacing and the Warriors lost Game 1. Steve Kerr adapted by inserting JaMychal Green in place of Looney and the Warriors won Game 2.
That formula didn’t work in Game 3 and going even smaller with Gary Payton II in place of JaMychal didn’t work in Game 4 either. Kerr stuck with Payton II again in Game 5 and the Warriors were able to pull out a win and force a Game 6.
While the starters with Payton has largely worked — outscoring the Lakers by 23.5 points per 100 possessions across 40 minutes in the past two games — they may not be able to run it back. Andrew Wiggins has been listed as questionable for Game 6 with a cartilage fracture in his left ribcage. Assuming Wiggins can’t go, they’ll need someone to take his place in this lineup, moving the ball, keeping the defense honest and taking the primary defensive matchup against LeBron James.
Projected Warriors lineup vs. Lakers in Game 6 of West Semifinals
- Guard — Steph Cury
- Guard — Klay Thompson
- Guard — Gary Payton II
- Forward — Jonathan Kuminga
- Forward — Draymond Green
The Warriors haven’t hinted out how they might replace Wiggins and his final status is up in the air, so this is very much a hypothetical. Going back to JaMychal Green or Looney seems like a non-starter and inserting Jordan Poole in the starting lineup and going with four guards leaves them extremely vulnerable to either LeBron or Anthony Davis.
Kuminga has mostly just seen garbage time in the playoffs, only breaking 10 minutes in one game — Game 3 of the first round against the Kings. But, physically, he’s the best equipped to deal with LeBron, he has experience playing with the starters and is likely chomping at the bit for a chance to prove himself. It’s a gamble but it may be the card left for Kerr to play if Wiggins really is out.
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