Report: Warriors hopeful Wiggins will be available for Game 6

LOS ANGELES — Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was still listed as questionable for Game 6 of the team’s Western Conference semifinal series against the Los Angeles Lakers Friday, but the team is reportedly “hopeful” that he will be able to suit up. 

Wiggins will go through his pregame routine to see how he feels, and a final determination will be made from there, per ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.   

Wiggins was first reported as questionable on Thursday due to a left costal cartilage fracture — located in the ribs — that he suffered Wednesday night in Game 5. 

The Warriors are in a do-or-die situation as they trail the Lakers 3-2 in the series. Wiggins put up his best performance of this postseason in their Game 5 win with 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists. He appeared to sustain the injury late in the fourth quarter on a collision with Lakers forward LeBron James.

Wiggins has been an essential part of Golden State’s success on both ends of the floor dating back to last postseason. This year he’s taken the task of guarding De’Aaron Fox in the first round and now James in this series. Offensively, Wiggins has struggled from 3-point range, but he’s one of the few sources of athleticism and isolation scoring for the Warriors. Stephen Curry said after Game 5 that the team needed to do a better job creating opportunities for Wiggins.