Minnesota T-Wolves Blog – Page 29 – NBA Blog

Andrew Wiggins drawing more defensive attention

Andrew Wiggins is averaging 21.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for the Timberwolves (9-12). Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting that teams have taken notice of Wiggins’ skills and are putting more help defenders around him:

It happened again to Andrew Wiggins a couple of times Wednesday night.

The Wolves guard got the ball, dribbled into the paint and went to that spin move he has used so effectively this season. But when he turned, there was a wall of Lakers defenders waiting for him.

“I tell our players all the time,” interim coach Sam Mitchell said. “They watch film, too.”

They, in this case, are Wolves opponents. And the film they’ve been watching clearly includes Wiggins, whose game has taken a quantum jump this season.

He has scored in double figures in 18 of his 20 games, scored 20 points or more 11 times, 30 or more three times.

And he is becoming a marked man.

Kevin Martin moving into Timberwolves starting lineup

The Minnesota Timberwolves, led by 21.5 ppg from Andrew Wiggins, 16.0 ppg from Karl-Anthony Towns, 13.9 ppg from Zach Lavine, and 13.3 from Kevin Martin, are 0-6 at home and 5-2 on the road. Unusual. Overall, they’re 5-8 and in need of a boost. Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting the latest on Martin, who has started just one of the 12 games he’s played this season:

Some have been waiting for it for a while, but Sunday Wolves coach Sam Mitchell said he’s ready to make the change. Starting with Monday’s game against winless Philadelphia at Target Center, Mitchell is going to move Kevin Martin into the starting lineup, move Tayshaun Prince to the bench and ratchet up Shabazz Muhammad’s minutes.

“It was never my mentality for Tayshaun to play this amount of minutes,” Mitchell said of Prince, who has started and averaged 22.2 minutes, 3.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. “It was just to get us off to a start. I need to increase Bazz’s minutes. He’s been playing well. So I’m going to decrease Tayshaun’s minutes.”

No home wins for Timberwolves yet

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on the Timberwolves, who haven’t won a home game yet and host the Detroit Pistons tonight:

One thing becomes clear after talking with a few Timberwolves players after today’s morning shootaround:

This team wants very much to end this zero-for-home thing. The Wolves enter tonight’s game with Detroit at Target Center at 5-7 overall, with all five victories coming on the road. At home the team is 0-5 at home. And while both emotions and injuries might have played into that, it has gotten old quickly.

“I hope tonight is the night,” Andrew Wiggins said.

The Pistons come into the game with an impressive victory over Cleveland Tuesday, a victory that ended a four-game losing streak. That came after Detroit started the season 5-1.

Timberwolves players will wear commemorative patch for Flip Saunders

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that the team will wear a commemorative patch on their jersey during the 2015-16 season in honor of recently passed President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach Flip Saunders.

The patch will be worn for the first time on Monday, November 2, as the Timberwolves open the home portion of the 2015-16 season against the Portland Trail Blazers at Target Center. The team will wear the patch for all home and road games for the balance of the season beginning on November 2.

Tragic: Flip Saunders has died

Announcement from the Timberwolves:

It is with extreme sadness that the Minnesota Timberwolves today learned that Phil “Flip” Saunders, who served as the team’s President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach, in addition to being a minority owner of the team, passed away today at age 60.

The organization will follow up with more information as it becomes available.

Timberwolves waive Lorenzo Brown, Kleon Penn, Nick Wiggins

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has waived guard Lorenzo Brown, center Kleon Penn and guard Nick Wiggins. With the moves, the Wolves training camp roster stands at 15 players.

Brown, originally signed by the Wolves to a 10-day contract on January 28, registered averages of 4.2 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 13.1 minutes over five preseason contests. The 6’5 guard appeared in 29 games last season for the Wolves averaging 4.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 18.9 minutes per game. Brown was Minnesota’s second round selection (52nd overall) in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Penn, signed on September 18, appeared in three preseason games totaling one rebound in nine minutes.

Wiggins was signed by the Wolves on September 18. He played in four preseason contests registering seven points in 14 minutes.

Andrew Wiggins a shooting guard?

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting interesting stuff on one of the Timberwolves’ most important young talents:

In a game gone small, Timberwolves interim coach Sam Mitchell is playing the contrarian.

While playing two point guards in the same lineup becomes more common in the NBA, Mitchell has turned to reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins — all 6-8 of him — to start at shooting guard and be Ricky Rubio’s backcourt partner after an experiment to nurture Zach LaVine at that spot lasted but three preseason games.

While coaches such as Phoenix’s Jeff Hornacek and Dallas’ Rick Carlisle have taken to playing two point guards in recent years, Mitchell likes Wiggins’ move from small forward to shooting guard precisely because of his size and the benefits Mitchell believes it presents on both ends of the court.

“You know the NBA,” Mitchell said. “You’ve got to [create] some matchup problems when you go out there. I like Andrew at the 2 [shooting guard]. I think it gives him an advantage because of his size.”

Timberwolves exercise options on LaVine, Payne, Wiggins, Dieng and Muhammad

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has exercised the third-year options on guard Zach LaVine, forward Adreian Payne and forward Andrew Wiggins, along with the fourth-year options on center Gorgui Dieng and forward Shabazz Muhammad.

Dieng, 25, owns career averages of 7.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game over 133 contests, all with Minnesota. The Wolves acquired the draft rights to Dieng, along with Muhammad, from the Utah Jazz on June 27, 2013.

LaVine, 20, posted averages of 10.1 points and 3.6 assists in 24.7 minutes per game over 77 games in his rookie season, eventually being named to the 2014-15 All-Rookie Second Team. Minnesota drafted LaVine with the 13th overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Muhammad, 22, has played two seasons with the Wolves, averaging 8.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 75 career contests, including averaging 13.5 points in 22.8 minutes per contest last season. Minnesota acquired the draft rights to Muhammad, along with Dieng, from the Utah Jazz on June 27, 2013.

Payne, 24, averaged 6.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 32 games last season, including averaging 7.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 29 games with Minnesota. Originally selected with the 15th overall pick by the Hawks in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Wolves acquired him from Atlanta on February 10, 2015.

Wiggins, 20, registered averages of 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season en route to being named the 2015 KIA NBA Rookie of the Year. Wiggins was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and was acquired by the Wolves on August 23, 2014.

Future of Timberwolves on display

Here’s the St. Paul Pioneer Press reporting on the young and fun Minnesota Timberwolves:

The future of the Timberwolves was on display in Wednesday’s exhibition opener, with the debut of No. 1 overall draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns and fellow rookie Tyus Jones joining a starting lineup that included talented second-year players Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins.

There were glimpses of potential, but the Wolves showed they still have a long way to go.

After all, Minnesota was playing an offensive juggernaut in the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka combined for 47 points in the Thunder’s 122-99 victory in front of 8,601 at Target Center.

“We found things we need to work on,” said Towns, who had an impressive debut with 18 points, five rebounds and two blocks. “It was kind of bittersweet. I wanted to do a lot more on both sides of the basketball. I’m just getting my feet wet.”

Zach LaVine wants to prove he is a shooter, too

Here’s the St. Paul Pioneer Press reporting on Timberwolves dunking phenom Zach LaVine, who wants you to know that he’s… more than a dunking phenom:

There’s no question LaVine loves to dunk — and his above-the-rim highlights have made him a fan favorite all over the world, including China, where he ran an event this summer.

But the 6-foot-5 high flier could be the Wolves’ starting shooting guard this season because he’s more than just a dunker.

“People put a label on me that I’m just a driver, but coming out of high school I was a good shooter,” LaVine said.

“I was second in UCLA history for threes put up and made as a freshman. So I don’t know why people say I can’t shoot the ball for. I feel like I’ve always been able to shoot the ball.”