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Timberpups Tracker: More double-doubles for Towns
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 18th 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 23, first season)
Statistical season averages: 16.4 minutes, 3.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.4 blocks, 37.2 FG%, 30.5 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 17.3 minutes, 3.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 50.0 FG%, 33.3 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 7.5 PER, 43.3 TS%, 14.4 USG%, 88 ORtg, 109 DRtg, -0.2 VORP
Notable: Dunn continues to get a modicum of minutes as we all watch the Ricky Rubio renaissance, although he did play in over 24 minutes against Sacramento on Tuesday.
TYUS JONES (age 20, second season)
Statistical season averages: 12.5 minutes, 3.4 points, 1.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks, 39.6 FG%, 35.9 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 12.5 minutes, 2.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.0 blocks, 37.5 FG%, 0.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 13.5 PER, 51.4 TS%, 13.7 USG%, 115 ORtg, 111 DRtg, 0.0 VORP
Notable: Like Dunn, Jones' opportunities have been limited lately, although this past week he did have six assists in 11:24 of playing time at New Orleans and then five assists in 11:54 vs. Sacramento.
SHABAZZ MUHAMMAD (age 24, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 19.9 minutes, 9.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.1 blocks, 48.2 FG%, 36.2 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 25.0 minutes, 17.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, 60.5 FG%, 33.3 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 14.8 PER, 57.0 TS%, 20.9 USG%, 115 ORtg, 115 DRtg, -0.6 VORP
Notable: Muhammad is on one of his scoring kicks again. Last week he scored 15, 20 and 18 points, giving him four straight games in double figures and shooting 50 percent or better from the field. His Offensive Rating in three games last week was an exceptionally good 126.
KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS (age 21, second season)
Statistical season averages: 36.9 minutes, 24.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.3 blocks, 53.5 FG%, 35.6 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 39.1 minutes, 29.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 54.1 FG%, 46.2 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 25.4 PER, 60.8 TS%, 27.5 USG%, 119 ORtg, 109 DRtg, 4.6 VORP
Notable: Yawn. Towns had two more double-doubles in Minnesota's three games last week. He has 53 on the season and is second in the NBA to Houston's James Harden, who has 56.
ANDREW WIGGINS (age 22, third season)
Statistical season averages: 37.2 minutes, 23.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.4 blocks, 45.1 FG%, 34.3 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 37.1 minutes, 24.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks, 43.9 FG%, 14.3 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 16.2 PER, 53.3 TS%, 28.5 USG%, 106 ORtg, 114 DRtg, -0.3 VORP
Notable: Wiggins continues to score, posting games of 26, 25 and 22 points this past week. The last time he wasn’t in double figures in points was when he had eight back on Jan. 3.
Out for the season: Zach LaVine
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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