In the six games the Timberwolves have played without Jimmy Butler so far this season, Andrew Wiggins‘ presence became much more vital. How well has he played in Butler’s absence?
It’s pretty clear-cut that Jimmy Butler is the superstar that makes the Timberwolves go.
So far, Butler has provided the Wolves with everything they could have hoped and dreamed. He has, however, missed six games this season — six games in which the Wolves defense showed how big of an impact he has on the team.
During Butler’s absence this season, Andrew Wiggins’ presence become much more important. Overall, the majority of his statistics are above or equal to what he has produced all season. But besides his statistics, Wiggins has visibly played harder and with more intensity when Butler has been unavailable.
Andrew Wiggins, my goodness. https://t.co/5VrSiv4hXU
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 21, 2018
Looking at Wiggins season statistics: 18.1 points per game on 43.9 percent shooting from the field and 32.7 percent from three, along with 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. As for turnovers, he has committed just 1.6 per game.
Sure, his overall numbers have been down this season. But keep in mind how much star power is now around him; it’s never easy to adjust to a new role, especially when you’re use to being “the guy” on any team you’ve been on up until now.
In games without Butler, Wiggins has helped fill the void the Wolves needed. He has averaged 21.8 points on 48 percent shooting and 32 percent shooting from beyond the arc, also contributing four rebounds and two assists per contest. The stretch of games included a 40-point outing from Wiggins in the team’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 22.
https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/955681804551442432
If anything, Wiggins has done better on offense while Butler is gone, showing flashes of the superstar potential everyone knows he has.
However, a few concerns come to mind about Wiggins in games without Butler, with one being he has committed 2.7 turnovers a game without Butler. Another is that the Wolves are 2-4 without Butler this year. The issues with the record is mainly because of the final concern: Wiggins’ inconsistent defense. Out of all of Wiggins’ stats, the wins and losses stick out the most for obvious reasons. And while it’s obviously a team game, by now Wiggins should be more effective on defense on a consistent basis.
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Players of Wiggins’s talent level should be able to help lift their teams to a record better than 2-4 in games without their star player. Also, keep in mind that three of their four losses included the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons early in the season and the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 24, and none of those games were exactly “close”.
However, there are a couple of things to consider when expecting so much of Wiggins.
Remember, he is still just 22 years old, turning 23 in less than a month. However, he is playing in his fourth year in the league, and that should be enough years to get a tight grasp on the transformation from college to the pros.
The other thing to consider is the presence of someone who is much closer to superstar status than Wiggins: teammate Karl-Anthony Towns. If the Wolves lose a game without Butler, you should evaluate both performances. To put it simply, not all the blame should fall on Wiggins.
However, everyone knows what Towns brings to the table. No one questions his abilities on the court or any other aspect of his game, especially now that his defense has improved quite a bit. As for his counterpart, some question what Wiggins is able to bring to the table night-in and night-out.
It isn’t because of his athleticism or offensive ability, rather they are concerned with his defense and effort; his defense has surely improved since the start of the season. It shows in his defensive plus/minus, which has improved from -3.16 last season to -1.43 so far this season. However, his defense is still inconsistent — a more glaring issue in the games without Butler alongside him on the wing.
Butler is the anchor of the Wolves defense. When he is out, Wiggins and the rest of the team need to buckle down on that end of the floor. However, they have done the exact opposite.
The Wolves have allowed 105.9 points per game this season on average. In games without Butler, however, the Wolves have allowed just over 121 points. This, at least in part, falls on the two other members of the Wolves Big Three, Wiggins and Towns.
If Butler is to miss any more games this season or down the road, Wiggins needs to take over on the defensive end. He has proved what he is capable of on the offensive side of the ball. In order to shutdown all the critics, there would be no better way to do so than for him to play his best defense when Butler is out.
Hopefully, Butler doesn’t miss any more games for awhile as the Wolves need all hands on deck to make this playoff push.
Next: The challenging Western Conference playoff landscape
However, if he does, Wiggins needs to be ready to play better defense than he has in Butler’s six missed games this season. His offensive game erupted in Butlers absence, and now he should strive for the same on defense.