Inside The Thunder

Aaron Wiggins' Occasional Slumps Can be a Driving Force

Aaron Wiggins shows an adept ability to break out of scoring slumps with impactful games on a consistent basis this season.

Nathan Aker

Mar 19, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) shoots a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Mar 19, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) shoots a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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Any Thunder fan could tell you Aaron Wiggins has made a significant leap as a scoring outlet for this Oklahoma City team that sits atop the West by a large margin in late March.

From amassing his first 40-point scoring game in early February and posting 18.7 points a game in the month to carrying that to several scoring outings in the high 20s and also notching a recent 30-point performance, Wiggins could potentially be looked at as the second option on this team when the Thunder needs an electric scoring punch.

He's sort of out of the limelight. A quiet and seemingly humble Thunder, Wiggins carries himself similarly both on and off the hardwood.

So, when looking at some tougher, more inefficient scoring stretches for the 6-foot-5 guard out of Maryland, he's able to channel that into large games as he returns from a sluggish few games. This was most recently exemplified in OKC's most recent bout versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

Following a four-game stretch of four, eight, zero then nine points, Wiggins shot just 28.8% from the field across these performances, including an 0-9 shooting performance in 20 minutes against the Boston Celtics.

It's uncharacteristic of the guy who has shown up in impactful ways in a larger portion of the Thunder's contests this season. Of course, he consistently contributes in other facets which hold less variables in play, but these scoring slumps can plague him occasionally.

Even though, Wiggins bounced back from those less than performances and notched a 26-point, six-assist game on 10-of-18 shooting on the Thunder's home floor, illustrating his ability to focus in and break through a frustrating period.

This isn't the only instance of that for Wiggins either.

Before Wiggins career 41-point performance against the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 1, Wiggins had put up just 15 points on 7-for-22 from the floor in the three games prior. Before that, a three-point, seven-point and two-point outing led to a 17-point outing shooting 42.9% from three in a win over the Charlotte Hornets in December.

Wiggins can go through these stretches at times, but you can always count on him to bounce back with force.

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Nathan Aker
NATHAN AKER

Nathan is a senior at the University of Oklahoma majoring in Public Relations set to graduate in May 2024. He holds experience covering multiple sports, primarily basketball, at the high school and collegiate level. 

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