Kurtenbach

But the truth about the postseason — or games that feel like the postseason — is that the wings determine the outcomes.

Wednesday, the Clippers had Paul George (24 points) and Kawhi Leonard (30) as their top two wings.

The Warriors had Klay Thompson (15 points) and Moses Moody (3).

Is it any surprise the Clippers won?

Yes, it's only one game, but the Warriors' loss to the Clippers illuminated why the Dubs cannot win a championship without Wiggins, the team's second-best player in last year's playoffs.

The Warriors needed better perimeter defense, team rebounding, and secondary scoring Wednesday. Is Wiggins the only route to improvement in those areas? No. But Wiggins brings all three things to the table.

He could have guarded Leonard and George, saving the Warriors from playing a three-guard lineup that was eaten up by those two and Clippers center Ivica Zubac. He could have given the Warriors a few baskets when Curry was off the floor. The Dubs' early fourth quarter, with Curry sitting, sunk them.

And while Wiggins isn't a big man, he's a 7-footer in wingspan. His rebounding was sorely missed Wednesday. It's one thing for Zubac to pull down an offensive board against a small-ball lineup, but for Russell Westbrook to grab four — all because the Warriors didn't have enough bodies at the rim — is unacceptable.

Like Harrison Barnes in the Warriors' dynasty's early days, Wiggins is the linchpin of the Warriors' small-ball lineup. Put him at the 4, and the Dubs' can run Zubac off the floor and match up with the Clips' two All-Star wings. Without him, the Warriors are playing three one-way players — a deadly combination in the postseason.

These issues will pop up when the Warriors play teams other than the Clippers, too.

Whether the Warriors are playing the Suns' two great wings — Devin Booker and Kevin Durant — or Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, the truth remains that you cannot

even compete for a title without an All-Star-caliber twoway wing.

That's not Thompson's role anymore. He has been great this season, but the bar is lower for him now on the defensive side. As a secondary option, he's outstanding. As the primary stopper on the perimeter, he's not the player he used to be, for understandable reasons.

While Jonathan Kuminga has shown flashes, he's not yet ready for that defensive role. He's not matching Wiggins on the offensive end, either.

Gary Payton II coming back into the fold will help with defense and rebounding — despite being only 6-foot-2 — but it doesn't give the Warriors the offense they need.

Obviously, the Warriors are not publicly detailing what the “family issue” is that is keeping Wiggins away from the team.

And Wiggins, a fiercely private person, hasn't commented on the matter, either. That has led those close to him to be tight-lipped, too. That's all fair.

As of Wednesday, the team still sanctions the wing's absence. I don't expect that to change, even in the season's final weeks. This is a “take-aslong-as-you-need” scenario.

What I can say about the situation is that — to the best of my knowledge — it has nothing to do with the love of the game. Wiggins would prefer to be on the court, but the offthe-court stuff takes precedence and isn't guaranteed to be resolved anytime soon.

Ultimately, it's up to Wiggins to decide when he will return to the Warriors.

And if he does not, the Warriors won't be repeating as champions. They might not even make the actual playoffs without him.