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NBA Playoffs: Comparing Timberwolves Starters to Remaining Players

By Zach Burnside

Jan 12, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles past Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) and guard Ricky Rubio (9) during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 12, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles past Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) and guard Ricky Rubio (9) during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 14, 2015; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins (22) blocks Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) in a pre-season matchup at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 14, 2015; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins (22) blocks Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) in a pre-season matchup at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /

Andrew Wiggins

The best comparison for Andrew Wiggins comes from the team up North (even though Toronto technically lies south of Minneapolis) in Demar DeRozan. Although Wiggins has much further to go down the road in terms of performance – DeRozan is five years his senior – he plays a similar style and puts up numbers approaching those of DeRozan.

Comparing each of their second seasons yields even more similarities. Wiggins has the edge in points per game (20.7 to 17.2) and nearly equals DeRozan in other stats (3.6 to 3.8 in rebounds per game and 2.0 to 1.8 in assists per contest).

One major knock on Wiggins up until this point in his career is his inability to knock down the three-point shot. Compared to DeRozan in his second season, Wiggins is way ahead (30.0 percent to 9.6 percent!), but now trails, 30  to 33.8 percent.

The Wiggins-DeRozan comparison is probably the most easy one to see of the whole group. Similar in size (6′-7″, 220-pound DeRozan vs. the 6′-8″ 200-pound Wiggins) and playing style, the Timberwolves look forward to having Wiggins as an All-Star just like DeRozan.

Despite the fact that most people think the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to march right past the Raptors to the NBA Finals, this match-up is worth tuning into to see DeMar DeRozan, an Andrew Wiggins prototype, going at it in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Next: Kevin Garnett And A Jack-Of-All-Trades

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