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Timberwolves Power Rankings: Winning record in sight

By Jake Paynting

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 11: Karl-Anthony Towns . Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 11: Karl-Anthony Towns . Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MARCH 18: Taj Gibson and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves react during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 18, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MARCH 18: Taj Gibson and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves react during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 18, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

5. Taj Gibson (5)

Season stats: 33.5 MPG – 12.3 PPG – 7.1 RPG – 0.7 BPG – 58.1% FG – 21.2% 3PT – 76.6% FT

Weekly stats: 31.9 MPG – 9.0 PPG – 5.0 RPG – 0.3 BPG – 52.1% FG – 100% FT

Taj Gibson clearly misses Jimmy Butler on the offensive end but his all-around defensive brilliance and hard hat attitude keep the 32-year-old in the fifth position for the second week in a row,  after a string of top three weeks.

Gibson and Butler work in tandem like they have played together for years – probably because they have – on offense, and Mr. Clean misses the star’s ability to find him for an easy bucket after sucking in the defense. This is one of the main reasons the big man is having a career year in so many offensive categories.

Nonetheless, the Mr. Clean express keeps chugging on.

He scored eight points and grabbed four boards in the Spurs loss, before having an unusually quiet four-point, three-rebound night against the Rockets.

With the work rate the former Bull possesses, it’s tough to keep him down for long.

He burst back into the scoring column against Los Angeles, dropping 15 points, pulling down eight rebounds and blocking a shot against in the big win. Gibson is a constant on the offensive glass, and his post-game is one of the most under-appreciated in the entire league.

To top it off, Mr. Clean runs the floor as hard as anyone on the floor – usually resulting on easy buckets like this one:

With Butler’s return imminent, Taj Gibson will probably be the biggest individual benefactor, but he has been great night-in, night-out this year so there is no Mr. Clean  complaints over here.

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