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Timberpups Tracker: Muhammad goes on scoring streak
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 9th 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: 17.2 minutes, 3.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.3 steals, 1.0 blocks, 50.0 FG%, 100.0 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 16.4 minutes, 3.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, 40.0 FG%, 50.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 9.0 PER, 45.1 TS%, 15.0 USG%, 93 ORtg, 108 DRtg, -0.1 VORP
Notable: Dunn scored in double digits for just the third time this season and first since Dec. 6 when he had 11 points against Portland, making 5 of 7 shots. In that game he also had three rebounds, four assists, a steal and a career-high three blocks.
TYUS JONES (age 20, second season)
Statistical season averages: 10.4 minutes, 3.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.0 blocks, 42.9 FG%, 42.9 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 16.0 PER, 59.4 TS%, 13.8 USG%, 121 ORtg, 110 DRtg, 0.1 VORP
Notable: Jones played just 4 seconds in Minnesota's three games last week (coming in a loss to Portland).
ZACH LAVINE (age 21, third season)
Statistical season averages: 37.6 minutes, 21.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 47.6 FG%, 41.7 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 38.4 minutes, 21.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.3 blocks, 51.0 FG%, 50.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 16.7 PER, 60.1 TS%, 22.9 USG%, 116 ORtg, 114 DRtg, 0.9 VORP
Notable: LaVine made six 3-pointers in the win over Milwaukee. He has hit 6+ 3s in five games this season, with four of them coming since Dec. 23.
SHABAZZ MUHAMMAD (age 24, fourth season)
Statistical season averages: 17.7 minutes, 7.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.1 blocks, 43.4 FG%, 37.0 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 19.7 minutes, 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks, 53.3 FG%, 70.0 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 11.4 PER, 53.3 TS%, 19.9 USG%, 107 ORtg, 114 DRtg, -0.5 VORP
Notable: Muhammad scored in double figures in three straight games (his longest such streak of the season), including a season-high 22-point outing in the win over Milwaukee. After making 10 3-pointers all season, Muhammad connected on seven in the three games last week, including hitting 4 of 5 vs. the Bucks.
KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS (age 21, second season)
Statistical season averages: 35.3 minutes, 21.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.4 blocks, 47.6 FG%, 31.1 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 36.5 minutes, 17.3 points, 14.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.3 steals, 1.7 blocks, 38.8 FG%, 0.7 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 22.3 PER, 55.5 TS%, 27.5 USG%, 112 ORtg, 108 DRtg, 1.5 VORP
Notable: Another ho-hum week for Towns, who posted double-doubles in three straight games: 18 and 16 vs. Milwaukee, 11 and 13 vs. Portland and 23 and 15 at Philadalphia.
ANDREW WIGGINS (age 21, third season)
Statistical season averages: 36.7 minutes, 21.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks, 44.1 FG%, 34.9 3PT%
Statistical averages, last week: 37.8 minutes, 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.0 blocks, 41.5 FG%, 11.1 3PT%
Advanced stats, season: 15.4 PER, 52.7 TS%, 27.5 USG%, 105 ORtg, 114 DRtg, -0.3 VORP
Notable: Wiggins had two stellar games to start the week -- scoring 31 vs. Milwaukee on 10-of-18 shooting from the field and 11 of 13 from the line with five rebounds and six assists, and 24 points vs. Portland. However, he followed that up with his first clunker in a while, making only 2 of 15 shots and scoring eight points in a loss to the 76ers.
(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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