Timberpups Tracker: Towns finally has a reason to smile
The Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the most exciting collections of young players on an NBA roster with nearly half of their players 25 or younger. Every Thursday, FOX Sports North tracks the progress of those young Timberwolves.
This is the 7th edition of the 2016-17 Timberpups Tracker.
(A glossary of the advanced statistics used for season totals, which are from basketball-reference.com. can be found at the end of this article)
KRIS DUNN (age 21, first season)
Statistical season averages: 17.0 minutes, 4.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.3 blocks, 39.0 FG%, 30.8 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 12.9 minutes, 5.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 35.3 FG%, 33.3 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 9.4 PER, 46.1 TS%, 15.6 USG%, 93 ORtg, 108 DRtg, 0.0 VORP
Notable: Dunn struggled alongside the rest of the Wolves in a backbreaking loss to the Houston Rockets, going just 1-for-6 from the field. He fared better in a win over the Phoenix Suns, going 3-for-6 and finishing with eight points, three rebounds, two blocks, a steal and an assist.
TYUS JONES (age 20, second season)
Statistical season averages: 11.6 minutes, 3.6 points, 1.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, 42.6 FG%, 43.5 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 0.1 minutes, 0.0 points, 0.0 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 0.0 FG%, 0.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 16.4 PER, 59.7 TS%, 14.0 USG%, 121 ORtg, 110 DRtg, 0.1 VORP
Notable: Jones made just one appearance last week, checking in for 11 seconds of the Wolves' loss to Houston. He played negligible minutes for the Wolves in three straight games after logging three DNPs.
ZACH LAVINE (age 21, third season)
Statistical season averages: 37.9 minutes, 20.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks, 47.0 FG%, 38.6 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 39.8 minutes, 21.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks, 45.7 FG%, 47.8 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 16.4 PER, 58.9 TS%, 22.5 USG%, 115 ORtg, 114 DRtg, 0.7 VORP
Notable: LaVine cruised to his fourth consecutive 20-point game before posting 18 against Atlanta. He's seeing plenty of open looks with Towns making life difficult for opposing defenses, and shot 50 percent from 3-point range in back-to-back games, going 4-for-8 in both wins.
SHABAZZ MUHAMMAD (age 24, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 16.7 minutes, 6.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.1 blocks, 40.8 FG%, 23.3 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 19.0 minutes, 7.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.3 blocks, 36.0 FG%, 20.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 10.9 PER, 49.3 TS%, 19.0 USG%, 104 ORtg, 115 DRtg, -0.4 VORP
Notable: Muhammad hasn't reached double figures in eight games, struggling from the field along the way. He went just 3-for-10 in the win over Atlanta but grabbed five rebounds.
KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS (age 21, second season)
Statistical season averages: 35.4 minutes, 22.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.4 blocks, 47.8 FG%, 33.0 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 38.4 minutes, 28.7 points, 16.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.0 steals, 1.3 blocks, 53.2 FG%, 20.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 22.1 PER, 55.6 TS%, 27.9 USG%, 111 ORtg, 108 DRtg, 1.0 VORP
Notable: Towns smiled in a postgame interview, and we have proof. After again lamenting that he could have done more to help the team win despite a 41-point outburst against the Rockets, Towns delivered in the follow-up. He scored 28 in the Wolves' win over the Suns and 18 in their win over Atlanta, the victory that finally produced some positivity. He has at least 15 rebounds in each of his last three games, and on Monday scored at least 25 points and 15 rebounds for the 10th time in his career.
ANDREW WIGGINS (age 21, third season)
Statistical season averages: 36.9 minutes, 21.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.4 blocks, 44.1 FG%, 37.3 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 40.4 minutes, 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.7 blocks, 44.6 FG%, 14.3 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 15.5 PER, 53.2 TS%, 27.4 USG%, 106 ORtg, 114 DRtg, -0.2 VORP
Notable: Wiggins registered a block and a steal in the same game for just the third time this season, the only real positive to take away from the Houston games. He bounced back nicely in the win over Phoenix, scoring 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting.
(note: For now we are leaving off Adreian Payne, who turns 26 in February. If he becomes a regular member of the rotation we might then include him.)
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
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.
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