Minnesota Timberwolves: Power Rankings: Oct.18 – Oct. 22

I’ll be producing weekly power rankings for Dunking With Wolves, a weekly series that will examine the best performers for the week in Timberwolves basketball.

It was a thrilling opening week in the NBA, especially if you’re a Minnesota Timberwolves’ fan.

The season started in frustrating fashion with a 107 – 99 loss in San Antonio to the Kawhi-less San Antonio Spurs. A game where it was obvious this new team was struggling to find its chemistry, especially against a well-coached,well-organizedd Spurs team.

The home opener, an emotional return of Ricky Rubio was next up, and this time the end result was a lot happier for Minnesota fans.

The Wolves, who still looked like they were a bit dysfunctional, held on to an exciting 100-97 win over a Jazz team whose defense remains as stingy as ever.

It even included a little bit of Jimmy Butler vs Ricky Rubio jawing, which brought Target Center to its confused feet.

It was the final game of the week however, that will stick in the minds of Timberwolves fans for a long, long time.

A 115-113 victory in Oklahoma over the Thunder finished in dramatic fashion, when the newly paid  Andrew Wiggins hitting a near half court buzzer beater to win the game for the Wolves, Moments after Carmelo Anthony nailed a go-ahead 3 with 4.7 left on the clock.

Wild.

So at 2-1 after the first week, lets dig in to who helped make it happen … and who didn’t.

10. Shabazz Muhammad

Weekly averages: 10.6 MPG – 2.0 PPG – 1.6 RPG – 0.3 APG – 30 percent FG

Shabazz has had a rough start to his fifth NBA season.

After signing a minimum contract in the offseason in the hope to prove himself to be more than just a minimum player, he has looked like exactly that in the first week of NBA basketball, hopefully, it’s just the small sample size that is hurting Bazz.

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Low minutes have hurt Muhammad, who hasn’t played more than 12 in a game yet this season.

Although the minutes have been low, Muhammad hasn’t shown the offensive arsenal in the time he has had, averaging just 3.3 shots per game and shooting at a measly 30 percent clip.

While his meager 1 assist for the week doesn’t come as a huge shock for Shabazz, who is a historically poor passer, but his lack of rebounding is concerning, as he is usually a bundle of energy on the boards night in and night out.

Muhammad, Tom Thibodeau and the rest of the Timberwolves will be hoping to see Bazz turn it around soon, as his energy and scoring punch off the bench will be key for the Timberwolves this year.

9. Tyus Jones

Weekly averages: 15.6 MPG – 1.3 PPG – 2.0 APG – 0.6 SPG – 20% FG – 66.7% FT

After playing the majority of the fourth quarter in place of the newly acquired Jeff Teague in the game against the Spurs to start the season, it would seem like this may be a low ranking for Jones.

Although he drew the trust of Coach Thibodeau down the stretch in San Antonio, Jones didn’t give the coaching staff, or the fans much reason to think he should take Teague’s minutes again

His 5 assists in Minnesota against the Jazz were a plus for Jones, who has looked more comfortable than ever running the offense as the backup point guard, but it has been his ability to score that has left a lot to be desired.

He has scored just 1.3 points in over 15 minutes per game, doing so at a frightening 20 percent clip from the field and 66.7 percent from the line, while failing to connect on either of his two 3-point attempts.

As will continue to be a trend through this week’s power rankings, it is just a minuscule sample size, but Jones will need to show he can put pressure on defense’s, or Aaron Brooks might just see some action.

8. Gorgui Dieng

Weekly averages: 13.7 MPG – 4.0 PPG – 3.7 RPG – 1.3 APG – 30.8% FG – 60% FT

After a promising preseason, Gorgui Dieng has had a turbulent transition to backup center, after spending much of last year playing as the starting power forward.

He hasn’t looked like his usual self out on the floor, and Dieng may still be adjusting to the life of earning bench minutes after he averaged a career-high 32.4 last season.

Dieng has struggled mightily with his shot, shooting well below normal from all areas. He did have 7 points and 3 rebounds in the big win against OKC, but he still only converted two of his six shots.

Perhaps the biggest worry so far for Dieng is that he is yet to block a single shot this season.

As a guy who has averaged 1.2 blocks per game for his career, and a team with the 10th worst defensive rating in the league, Dieng will need to pick up his game as the season progresses. He has been reliable on both ends so far in his NBA career, so the odds look good that he will improve as he gets more comfortable with his role.

7. Nemanja Bjelica

Weekly averages: 11.7 MPG – 7.3 PPG – 3.0 RPG – 0.3 APG – 57.1% FG – 80% 3PT – 100% FT

Low minutes, occasional defensive lapses and Jamal Crawford’s insane fourth quarter against Utah keBelly’sy’s power ranking at seven this week, but he can consider himself slightly unlucky.

He contributed 9 points and 3 rebounds in the season opener and followed it up with 10 points and 5 rebounds against Utah.

Although he had a quiet game in Oklahoma, he has solidified himself into Thibs’ rotation once again, doing so with a flamethrower on the end of his arm.

The big Serbian has made 8-14 from the field, and 4-5 from 3, Looking comfortable in the offense for the first time in his Timberwolves career and providing the ‘stretch four’ potential that has made him so intriguing for Wolves fans.

If he can keep it up, you can be sure to see his minutes, and power ranking rise.

6. Jamal Crawford

Weekly averages: 19.6 MPG – 10.0 PPG – 2.7 APG – 1.0 RPG – 47.6% FG – 50% 3PT – 100% FT

He calls himself J. Crossover. I call him J. Clutch.

A 17-point final quarter barrage from Crawford ended the Minnesota Timberwolves’one-gamee losing streak, and ended any thought that Crawford was finished making big shots in this league.

https://twitter.com/All_SportNews/status/921741882060890112

That man has ice in his veins.

He had a stinker the following game against the Thunder, but his game saving heroics in Utah was enough to grab him the sixth man spot in the power ranking this week, a place the three-time Sixth Man Of The Year winner has grown accustomed too.

His shooting numbers have been absolutely off the chart for a guy who has been relied on to hold the weight of a struggling bench, so expect them to drop as the sample size increases.

For now though, lets just bask in that Utah performance.

5. Jeff Teague

Weekly averages: 32.3 MPG – 13.3 PPG – 6.3 APG – 1.3 SPG – 42.3% FG – 33.3% 3PT – 94.1% FT

Jeff Teague has had a strange start to his Minnesota career.

After replacing fan favourite Ricky Rubio in the offseason, Teague started his Timberwolves tenure by sitting the last quarter out in favour of Tyus Jones. He ended up playing just 25 minutes, scoring 11 points, dishing out 6 assists and ending with a -17 Plus/Minus while on the floor.

He backed that up by playing 33 minutes in Utah. Although he struggled again with his offensive game, finishing with 10 points and 4 assists on 3-10 shooting, his leadership and defense was good enough to see him a +1 while on the floor.

It was the game in Oklahoma where Teague showed the promise that Timberwolves fans can expect this year.

The point guard scored 19 points and had 9 assists, chipping in 6 rebounds and a steal in the process.

What will really scare opposing defense’s is the fact that Teague looked dangerous every time he touched the ball.

This type of offensive firepower will make defending the other weapons on the Timberwolves even harder to guard. If he keeps producing good numbers in the assist column even with Butler doing a lot of ball handling, the Wolves will be tough to handle.

4. Taj Gibson

Weekly averages: 29 MPG – 7.0 PPG – 7.3 RPG – 1.3 SPG – 43.5% FG – 25% 3PT

Like most of the Wolves players, Taj Gibson had a pretty average season opener in San Antonio.

He contributed just 6 points and 4 rebounds, shooting a frightening 3-11 from the field including 2 missed triples.

He was sure to bounce back but, and although his 4 points and 8 rebounds against Utah look bad on the box score, he contributed some huge plays down the stretch on defense to help ensure the Timberwolves held on to a 3 point victory.

As the Wolves offense got clicking in game three, so did the former Bull.

He shot 5-7 against OKC for his 11 points which included his first – now cult-figured – corner 3-pointer. Gibson continued playing his usual excellent defense and coming up with several strong bodied rebounds at the end of the game, finishing with 10 for the game.

If Gibson can continue his strong leadership and defense he will see his power ranking in the top half more often than not.

3. Karl- Anthony Towns

Weekly averages: 34.2 MPG – 21.7 PPG – 11.7 RPG – 1.3 BPG – 59.1% FG – 22.2% 3PT – 84.6% FT

Whether it is just him adjusting to his new role, or us expecting too much out of a 22-year-old, but Karl-Anthony Towns has been just slightly below his best to start this season off.

I mean, when you average over 20 points and 10 rebounds and still get labelled ‘below your best’ you know you’re a generational talent.

After putting up good numbers but seeming quite inconspicuous in the first two games, KAT erupted for 27 points and 12 rebounds on 11-17 from the field and 2-7 from 3-point land.

Including this sweet touch in the last minute of the game to give the Wolves the lead.

If Towns can continue this roll, he will have no trouble reaching his gaudy numbers that he posted last season, and may just rise in the power rankings at the same time.

2. Jimmy Butler

Weekly averages: 37.7 MPG – 13.3 PPG – 5.7 RPG – 4.0 APG – 39.5% FG – 33.3% 3PT – 100% FT

If you just looked at the statistics, you would call me crazy for having Jimmy Butler ahead of Karl-Anthony Towns in this weeks power ranking, but it isn’t always about the stats.

Looking beneath the box score, you will see that Jimmy G. Buckets (even without the buckets) is already having a major impact on the Timberwolves.

He ended second on the team for Defensive Rating, and his 5 steals against the Jazz were crucial in stopping Utah from sneaking away with a win.

The leadership is evident when out on the court, and with a team desperate for a steady hand and veteran presence, it is invaluable.

If – or more likely, when – the 3 time All-Star gets his offensive game going, he is going to be a tough cover for any defense, who will have to deal with our number one ranked Timberwolf on the wing this week too.

1. Andrew Wiggins

Weekly averages: 34.7 MPG – 24.7 PPG – 5.7 RPG – 1.7 APG – 49.1% FG – 42.1% 3PT – 60.9% FT

It was Andrew Wiggins who nailed that shot to cap off a thrilling week in Timberwolves land.

Okay, lets just watch it one more time just for good measure…

It wasn’t just the OKC game that Wiggins was hot in though, he was firing in all three games, scoring over 20 points in each.

The 3-point shooting will be a key factor to Wiggins game this year, but it has been Wiggins improved rebounding that may have caught the most eyes this week though.

His 5.7 per game are well above his career high 4.6 in his rookie season, it will be interesting to see if Wiggins can keep his intensity on the boards at this all-time high – as well as improving on the defensive end – he will be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Next: Jimmy Butlers defense is key for Timberwolves

Tune in next week to see the changes in the rankings!

And go Timberwolves!