Wolves Press Clippings

Wolves Press Clippings

12. Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves*

Wolves Press Clippings

"I think we kind of wore them out," said Bazemore, who was 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. "Our depth is something we love, and lean on. Keep guys coming in and out. Guys are playing harder, cutting harder as the game goes on. A lot of (opponents) get fatigued."

Minnesota (3-2) bounced back from home losses to Portland and Miami with a 102-93 overtime victory at Chicago on Saturday, giving the franchise its first 3-0 road start since 2001-02. The Timberwolves held the Bulls to 35.5 percent shooting, including an 0-for-9 mark in the extra period.

They ranked last in the NBA in 2014-15 by allowing teams to shoot 48.7 percent - the league's highest mark since Toronto gave up 49.1 percent in 2005-06 - but are limiting opponents to just 39.2 percent this season.

Minnesota hasn't reached the postseason since 2003-04, and its young roster figured to be another year or two away from having a chance to end the league's longest playoff drought. Of the 10 players averaging at least 15 minutes, six are age 25 or younger, but so far they're defying expectations.

"This is a great win on the road with a young team," 35-year-old forward Tayshaun Prince said after Saturday's victory. "Hopefully, it's a confidence booster as we continue to move forward."

Twenty-year-old Andrew Wiggins had been struggling with his shot but looked better Saturday with a season-high 31 points. He's still shooting 32.4 percent from the floor but was 4 of 5 from 3-point range after going 1 for 9 to begin the season.

"Sometimes it's a struggle when you have so many expectations put on you," interim coach Sam Mitchell said of last year's No. 1 overall draft pick. "We just kept telling him stay aggressive, keep shooting the ball ... eventually it's going to happen."

The Timberwolves should regain leading scorer Kevin Martin (18.8 ppg), who was inactive Saturday due to a family issue but rejoined the team for practice Sunday.

The Hawks are among the league's leaders with 10.8 steals per game, and they had 13 against the Wizards, helping lead to 33 points off turnovers. Minnesota's last two opponents combined for 41 points off turnovers.

Wolves Press Clippings

He wouldn’t have lasted 21 seasons as a fraud, exposed as someone who wasn’t invested.

That's part of the reason the Minnesota Timberwolves brought him back last February, to the place he spent the first 12 seasons of his Hall of Fame career. It wasn’t for appearances or to wrap a tidy bow around his sterling career. It was for games like Saturday night’s 102-93 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls, where judging him on his 12 minutes on the court would miss the point entirely.

Garnett is the type of locker room leader who could score two points, snatch five "I got it" rebounds, get in the grill of one opposing player, draw a technical foul on another, and still force his coach to sing his praises.

"He tells them everyday, at this point in his career, it's about them, not him," said coach Sam Mitchell. "I wouldn't trade him off this team for nothing in the world."

Now, just two weeks removed from the death of coach Flip Saunders, the Timberwolves are leaning on Garnett to help impress his legendary work ethic on the young nucleus. For example, up 74-71 with 2:28 left in the third quarter, Mitchell called a timeout. Andrew Wiggins, who scored 22 of his season-best 31 points in the first half, plopped himself down on the bench, which more or less doubled as a middle school desk.

With Wiggins' full attention, Garnett took him through a series of pump-fakes and spins, going so far as to use other players as props — all during a timeout. The lesson ended with one of Garnett’s ever-present fist bumps. Garnett took Wiggins through the same routine again with 8:08 left in the fourth quarter in case the message wasn't heard.

But it's not just Garnett, though. The Timberwolves have a unique roster whose minutes fall to young pillars Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Ricky Rubio and a stable of others. They also have three veterans in Garnett, Tayshaun Prince and Andre Miller, who have a combined 52 seasons under their belts and all clearly bought into what Saunders was trying to accomplish.

"They're just so encouraging for the young guys. They just give so much knowledge," Mitchell said. "It's one thing as coaches, we can say it all the time, but when those guys who are out there have actually done it and won championships, when they say it, it just means a lot more."

With Garnett constantly harping on him to be aggressive, Wiggins got off to a torrid start and buried 4-of-5 three-pointers in the first half. He also levied a mammoth back door alley-oop from Rubio as if anyone doubted his athleticism.

"I knew my shot would fall eventually," said Wiggins, who had averaged just 13.8 points on 29% shooting through the first four games. "Every game before this, I was taking shots that I worked on all summer. Some of those just decided to fall."

Garnett's influence might be even more apparent on the Timberwolves' rookie power forward Towns. This year's No. 1 overall draft pick had 17 points and 13 rebounds against Pau Gasol for his third career double-double in five games. That also included four blocked shots, a Garnett staple.

"KG gives me so much knowledge that you can't never garner without playing years and years in this league," Towns said. "Me and KG have a special connection just because of the positions."

Fittingly, the Timberwolves shut out the Bulls in overtime, underscoring the 35% Chicago shot from the field. Minnesota forced two turnovers and blocked three other shots, holding the Bulls scoreless in the extra session for the first time in franchise history. And they did it with their biggest cheerleader on the bench.

Garnett has nothing left to prove, and the spotlight has largely shifted away from him. But the last chapter of his career might be best served sharing his passion with the impressionable Timberwolves. There's no doubt that they are listening.