Andrew Wiggins doesn’t like the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“It is what it is,” Wiggins said after shoot-around Wednesday in Cleveland, via Wolves Radio. “It’s a game that I’m going to play like every other game, but it gets me going a little more.”
Wiggins, quiet per usual, simply explained that he gets fired up more for this game than most others because of “everything that happened in the past,” clearly referring to the Cavs trading him to Minnesota in the Kevin Love trade.
Wiggins averages more points against the Cavaliers (28.8) than any other team. But his defense leaves something to be desired.
Wiggins’ career defensive rating against Cleveland is a whopping 127, which basically means he gives up 127 points over 100 possessions when playing Cleveland. The only other team he’s defended as poorly is his hometown Toronto Raptors, according to Basketball Reference. Keep in mind, however, that defensive rating is largely dictated by pace of play, and the Cavaliers play at a faster pace than most teams, so it’s not completely crazy to see such a high number.
Had Wiggins stayed in Cleveland, he might have a championship under his belt, but he doesn’t let himself think about it.
“I don’t let myself go there. I’m happy where I’m at,” he said. “It allowed me to grow the way I’ve grown by playing. I’ve been put in a different position here for the better.
“Minnesota put the ball in my hands as soon as I got there and it allowed me to grow.”
