Behind 37 points from Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors destroyed the Brooklyn Nets on the road by a final score of 117-99. Curry shot 12-of-19 from the field and 9-of-14 from beyond the arc in 29 minutes of action. Even though the game took place at the Barclays Center, the arena sounded like a Warriors home game since the crowd went berserk every time Curry hit a 3-pointer.

Since Curry went off for a game-high 37 points, he received most of the credit for the Warriors’ win. However, during his postgame interview with Inside the NBA, the two-time MVP showered Andrew Wiggins with incredible praise after Charles Barkley asked about the small forward.

Stephen Curry on Andrew Wiggins: “He has that ability to be the best player on the floor”

Wiggins finished with 19 points against the Nets while shooting 7-of-11 overall and 2-of-3 from 3-point land. Barkley was impressed by what he saw from the swingman, and Curry spoke highly of the Kansas product.

“You just have to bring it every night. He has the capability to match up with anybody in this league on both ends of the floor,” Curry said about Wiggins. “You saw what happened in Minnesota a couple of games ago, in Charlotte two nights ago. He has that ability to be the best player on the floor.”

The Warriors acquired Wiggins from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2020. The 2014 No. 1 overall pick hasn’t quite lived up to the hype which surrounded him when he was in college and entered the NBA, but now that he’s out of Minnesota and playing in a winning environment, Wiggins is starting to flourish.

Andrew Wiggins’ efficiency has improved with the Warriors

Wiggins was an inefficient scorer with the Timberwolves. Although he averaged 19.7 points in 442 games with Minnesota, the 2014-15 Rookie of the Year only shot 44.1% from the field and 33.2% from beyond the arc.

Since Curry attracts so much attention from opposing defenses and there’s plenty of space for Wiggins to operate in the Warriors’ motion-heavy offense, the 26-year-old’s efficiency has improved. He’s averaging 18.6 points while shooting 47.6% from the field and 37.1% from beyond the arc in 97 games with the Warriors.

Wiggins was asked to be the franchise savior in Minnesota. The Timberwolves drafted him with the first overall pick in 2014 and expected him and Karl-Anthony Towns to turn the team into a playoff contender. That burden was too heavy for Wiggins, who has a laid-back personality and doesn’t have the mindset to be an alpha dog, which is why he’s fit in so well with the Warriors since they have Steph.

Curry is the No. 1 option on the Warriors. The team runs through him and will go as far as he can take them. Wiggins doesn’t have the pressure of being the “guy” every single night anymore. He can comfortably be the second or third option and play freely, knowing that Curry will always be there to take the big shots.

With Curry, Wiggins, and Draymond Green leading the way, the Warriors have the best record in the NBA this season. They look like legitimate title contenders again, and it’s primarily due to how special Curry has been.

Stephen Curry has to be the MVP favorite thus far

Since the Warriors have the top record in the league and Klay Thompson hasn’t played a game yet, Curry has to be the MVP favorite thus far. The three-time champion is averaging 28.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists.

Curry is second in the NBA in points per game and first in 3-point field goals. He also has the highest plus-minus at +195.

Once Thompson returns from his Achilles tear, the Warriors will have a lethal foursome of Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, and Green. After missing the playoffs the previous two seasons, all signs point toward Golden State returning to the postseason and making some serious noise.