Every Wednesday, FOX Sports North's Phil Ervin tracks the progress of the Timberwolves' young core (players on the first or second year of their rookie contract).
ANDREW WIGGINS (age 20, first season)
Statistical averages, this week (season): 40.5 minutes (35.3), 17.5 points (15.8), 4.5 rebounds (4.3), 1.0 assists (1.8), 1.0 steals (1.1), 0.5 blocks (0.6), 45.5 FG% (43.6), 0.0 3PT% (32.1)
Advanced stats, season: 13.06 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 50.7 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 20.4 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "I love Minnesota. They treat me nice out there. So I plan to be there a very, very, very long time." -- Wiggins
Noted: Wiggins' March 18 return to his hometown of Toronto -- 15 points, three rebounds and a handful of foul trouble in his inaugural game at the Air Canada Centre -- wasn't as memorable as some might've hoped, but he's continuing to play at a rookie-of-the-year-level clip.
ZACH LAVINE (age 20, first season)
Statistical averages, this week (season): 33.3 minutes (21.8), 15.8 points (8.3), 4.0 rebounds (2.3), 3.5 assists (3.1), 0.5 steals (0.7), 0.3 blocks (0.1), 42.0 FG% (42.1), 53.8 3PT% (36.1)
Advanced stats, season: 10.22 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 50.8 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 21.1 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "You can take lessons from everything. We've just got to move on with them and try to do better next game." -- LaVine
Noted: LaVine's signature moment so far in his young career came when he hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final 25 seconds to send Monday night's game at Utah to overtime. An ill-advised jumper and an unnecessary foul directly preceded them, but LaVine displayed an ability to bounce back from mistakes quickly in a clutch situation.
GORGUI DIENG (age 25, second season)
Statistical averages, this week (season): 41.8 minutes (30.2), 13.0 points (9.7), 7.8 rebounds (8.5), 1.5 assists (2.0), 1.5 steals (1.0), 3.0 blocks (1.7), 57.1 FG% (50.2), 0.0 3PT% (16.7)
Advanced stats, season: 17.25 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 57.0 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 14.4 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "That's how the league is. You're going to face good players every day, so we just need to keep playing." -- Dieng
Noted: Dieng continues to serve as the Wolves' good soldier this season. Despite being one of two available bigs in several games -- including the past handful -- he and Wiggins are the only players to appear in every Minnesota contest.
ADREIAN PAYNE (age 24, first season)
Statistical averages, this week (season): 23 minutes (21.1), 7.8 points (6.7), 7.5 rebounds (5.5), 0.8 assists (0.6), 0.3 steals (0.6), 0.0 blocks (0.3), 57.7 FG% (41.8), 0.0 3PT% (14.3)
Advanced stats, season: 9.51 player efficiency rating (based on 15.0 league average), 45.5 true shooting percentage (accounting for free throws and 3-pointers), 16.6 usage rate (possessions used per 40 minutes)
Quote: "It's good to get minutes, good to play. Back in Atlanta, it was hard to get minutes because you had All-Stars ahead of you and we were winning. So the opportunity came for me to come here and be able to play, and I'm just trying to take advantage of it." -- Payne
Noted: Payne's at-times-woebegone shot selection has improved, and thus his offensive efficiency has, too. But he's been in foul trouble the past few games, limiting his availability even on a roster with 7-8 healthy players.
Did not play due to injury
SHABAZZ MUHAMMAD (age 22, second season)
Muhammad is done for the season after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured ligament in his left middle finger.
ANTHONY BENNETT (age 21, second season)
Bennett remains out indefinitely with a sprained right ankle. He's missed the Wolves' past 16 games.
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