Timberpups Tracker: March 31 edition

By Nate Gotlieb
Published

The Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the most exciting collections of young players on an NBA roster. Every Thursday, FOX Sports North tracks the progress of those on the Timberwolves who are in their first or second season in the league.

This is the 19th edition of the 2015-16 Timberpups Tracker, covering March 24-30.

A glossary of the advanced statistics used for season totals:

PER -- Player Efficiency Rating: A measure of per-minute production standardized such that the league average is 15.

TS% -- True Shooting Percentage: A measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account 2-point field goals, 3-point field goals, and free throws.

USG% -- Usage Percentage: An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he was on the floor.

ORtg -- Offensive Rating: An estimate of points produced per 100 possessions.

DRtg -- Defensive Rating: An estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions.

VORP -- Value over Replacement Player: A box score estimate of the points per 100 TEAM possessions that a player contributed above a replacement-level (-2.0) player, translated to an average team and prorated to an 82-game season.

NEMANJA BJELICA (age 27, first season)

Statistical season averages (last week): 4.3 points (7.3), 3.1 rebounds (3.8), 1.3 assists (0.8), 0.4 steals (0.8), 0.3 blocks (0.0), 16.9 minutes (15.3), 42.4 FG% (52.6), 33.3 3PT% (33.3).

Advanced stats, season: 8.9 PER, 53.7 TS%, 12.5 USG%, 105 ORtg, 111 DRtg, 0.2 VORP.

Notable: Bjelica played in all four games this past week, including more than 20 minutes in the Clippers loss. He scored 14 points in that game, his second-highest total of the season and provided a good spark on a night when no Minnesota player really did much of anything.

TYUS JONES (age 19, first season)

Statistical season averages (last week): 4.4 points (5.3), 1.3 rebounds (0.5), 2.7 assists (3.0), 0.7 steals (1.3), 0.1 blocks (0.0), 14.4 minutes (17.0), 36.0 FG% (26.9), 35.9 3PT% (00.0).

Advanced stats, season: 11.5 PER, 45.9 TS%, 17.8 USG%, 97 ORtg, 111 DRtg, -0.2 VORP.

Notable: Jones is really struggling shooting the ball and was 1 for 10 against the Clippers. He hasn't made a 3-pointer in nearly three weeks and is 0 for 16 over that stretch.

ZACH LAVINE (age 21, second season)

Statistical season averages (last week): 14.2 points (12.3), 2.8 rebounds (0.8), 3.0 assists (3.8), 0.8 steals (0.5), 0.2 blocks (0.0), 27.7 minutes (34.0), 45.6 FG% (43.2), 38.9 3PT% (43.8).

Advanced stats, season: 14.5 PER, 55.0 TS%, 24.0 USG%, 104 ORtg, 113 DRtg, 0.2 VORP.

Notable: LaVine also struggled for most of the week and did not score for just the second time all season in the loss to the Clippers. He played just 22:11 in the game after more than a dozen straight games of 30-plus minutes.

ADREIAN PAYNE (age 25, second season)

Statistical season averages (last week): 2.6 points (0.0), 2.1 rebounds (4.0), 0.5 assists (4.0), 0.3 steals (0.0), 0.2 blocks (0.0), 9.5 minutes (11.0), 37.8 FG% (00.0), 32.1 3PT% (00.0).

Advanced stats, season: 5.8 PER, 43.8 TS%, 17.1 USG%, 83 ORtg, 108 DRtg, -0.4 VORP.

Notable: Payne saw 11 minutes against the Clippers and surprisingly dished out four assists. He has been a nonfactor for most of the season, however.

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS (age 20, first season)

Statistical season averages (last week): 18.3 points (21.0), 10.3 rebounds (10.5), 1.8 assists (3.0), 0.7 steals (1.3) 1.7 blocks (0.5), 31.8 minutes (36.0), 54.8 FG% (54.7), 33.8 3PT% (40.0).

Advanced stats, season: 22.9 PER, 59.7 TS%, 24.7 USG%, 113 ORtg, 106 DRtg, 2.9 VORP.

Notable: Towns by far had the best week of any Timberwolves player, recording another four double-doubles and twice scoring 27 points. He played just 23:29 in the loss to the Clippers but played 47:34 in the double overtime win over the Wizards.

ANDREW WIGGINS (age 21, second season)

Statistical season averages (last week): 20.7 points (17.0), 3.7 rebounds (4.0), 2.1 assists (2.0), 0.9 steals (0.8), 0.6 blocks (0.8), 35.3 minutes (34.3), 45.5 FG% (35.4), 29.0 3PT% (33.3).

Advanced stats, season: 16.6 PER, 53.9 TS%, 27.1 USG%, 106 ORtg, 113 DRtg, -0.1 VORP.

Notable: Wiggins played one of his most efficient games of the season Monday against Phoenix, scoring 32 points on 6-for-13 shooting and 17-for-21 shooting from the free-throw line. He struggled the rest of the week, however, making just 11 of 35 field-goal attempts and scoring just seven points in the loss to Los Angeles.