Wiggins not motivated by ‘revenge’ in Warriors defeat of Timberwolves

Andrew Wiggins dismissed the notion his star showing in the Golden State Warriors’ 123-110 triumph over the Minnesota Timberwolves was a “revenge game”.

The Timberwolves traded Wiggins to the Warriors in February 2020, and the 2015 Rookie of the Year was a thorn in the side of his former employers at Chase Center on Wednesday.

Wiggins had a season-high 35 points and four rebounds in 32 minutes as the Warriors moved to 10-1 in the NBA this season.

But the 26-year-old insists getting one over on his former team was not a primary focus.

“No, not a revenge game, a well-played game against a former team,” he said. 

“A fun game. The game of basketball’s fun. Facing your former team is always one you wake up excited for.

“I’m going to keep it rolling. I’m going to stay aggressive.”

There was one moment Wiggins in particular did enjoy, though, that coming with a drive to the baseline and a one-handed slam over Karl-Anthony Towns, who he dunked on twice in the game.

“That’s my guy,” Wiggins said. “He got me last year, so I got him back.”

Wiggins made each of his first 10 shots and scored 22 of his points on the back of nine-for-nine first-half shooting.

“Andrew was just fantastic, the aggression from the beginning of the game, loved his energy,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. 

“Obviously he was pretty excited to play against his old team. We needed everything he brought us tonight.”

Warriors forward Draymond Green suffered a right thigh contusion in the third quarter and Kerr revealed he is “questionable” to face the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

The Warriors are top of the Western Conference, while the Timberwolves are down in 13th after a sixth straight defeat.