Dunking With Wolves
Fansided

The Timberwolves’ key contributors at the midway point

By Randy Spurlock

Jan 12, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8) celebrates with forward Shabazz Muhammad (15) during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. The Thunder defeated the Timberwolves 101-96. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 12, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8) celebrates with forward Shabazz Muhammad (15) during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center. The Thunder defeated the Timberwolves 101-96. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 28, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng (5) shoots the ball past San Antonio Spurs center Boban Marjanovic (behind) during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng (5) shoots the ball past San Antonio Spurs center Boban Marjanovic (behind) during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

Like Shabazz, Gorgui Dieng is also up to his usual stuff this year, but he seems to have a bit more confidence in his shot since carrying Senegal at Afrobasket over the summer.

Dieng steps into his 15-19 foot jumper without hesitation and is hitting those shots at a 43.5 percent clip. The confidence in that shot is good to see, as last year he would often hesitate and pump-fake. It seemed like he wasn’t sure if he should really be taking those shots, and it looked like it got in his head a little bit. After being the focal point of an offense over the summer, though, Dieng has more faith in his offense, and it is showing.

Dieng’s percentage on those 15-19 foot jumpers is well above his 40.5 percent on those same shots from last year. His current 43.5percent from that range is also just behind Towns’ mark of 45.7. The three players currently between Dieng and Towns in field goal percentage from 15-19 feet are Dirk Nowitzki, Marc Gasol, and Chris Bosh, three of the sweetest-shooting big men in the game.

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While Dieng and Towns are not quite at the elite level of Serge Ibaka (51.3 percent) or Al Horford (50.0 percent) from that range, they are still in the early stages of their respective careers. As they get more practice and hone their shot selection a bit more, the Timberwolves could potentially have two of the best shooting big men in the league.

On the flip-side, Dieng has been one of the better defenders on the team. His defensive rating of 104.5 isn’t great, but it’s slightly ahead of both Towns and Wiggins and is 4th on the team overall. The eye test on Dieng’s defense shows that he can be bullied one-on-one in the post by big post-up centers, but that is one of his few weaknesses on defense.

Dieng has great help defense instincts and can use his length to disrupt shots in the lane. He’s also able to stay in front of guards as they come flying off of a pick-and-roll, which is a big plus when he’s playing with below-average defenders such as Zach LaVine and Kevin Martin on the second unit.

Finally, Dieng has shown some good chemistry with Towns when they play together. While it looks like Garnett is entrenched as a starter this season, that chemistry is a good sign for the future. With his continued improvement on both ends of the floor, Dieng could pair with Towns next season to give the Wolves a formidable starting frontcourt.

Next: Zach LaVine

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