Wolves' two-way guard McLaughlin breaks out
With an established star and several young talents to build around, the Minnesota Timberwolves are attempting to establish themselves as a playoff contender once again.
From established players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins to newcomers like Josh Okogie and Jarrett Culver, we’re taking a weekly look at the present, and future, of the Wolves.
Each Thursday we’ll also track the progress of the Iowa Wolves standouts who might be of help to the Wolves in the future, or a current member of Minnesota’s roster.
This is the 7th edition of the 2019-20 Young Wolves Tracker.
Spotlight on …
Guard Jordan McLaughlin
Minnesota’s biggest position need is a star point guard to run the show for Towns, Wiggins and company. While that has yet to be resolved, the Timberwolves may have a bit more depth at the position than previously thought.
In Minnesota’s 113-104 loss to Golden State on Monday night, the Timberwolves’ starters looked disinterested. Minnesota trailed by 20+ points in the third quarter to a six-win team.
Three of the Timberwolves’ starters – Okogie, Culver and Robert Covington – combined for six points. Minnesota needed a spark.
Off Ryan Saunders’ bench came McLaughlin, a 5-foot-11 undrafted guard out of USC. McLaughlin scored a career-best 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor. He sunk 3 of 6 attempts from deep, cashed in both free throws and also posted four assists, three steals and two rebounds to bring the Timberwolves back within two possessions in the fourth quarter.
Perhaps McLaughlin’s best sequence was when he stole an inbounds pass from Golden State following a Wiggins bucket and fed it to Treveon Graham for 3.
five points in a matter of seconds pic.twitter.com/lCwPumfQnQ
— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 24, 2019
That sparked Minnesota’s rally. While the Timberwolves didn’t complete the comeback and win, it was really the first time the team showed life at Golden State.
All thanks to McLaughlin’s 22 minutes on the floor.
Oh, and he also did this:
5-11 AND MAKING POSTERS ??? pic.twitter.com/StxHBfVVDG
— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 24, 2019
After starring for four years at USC, McLaughlin wasn’t selected in the 2018 NBA draft. He spent last season with the G League Long Island Nets and averaged 15.1 points, 6.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 32.9% from 3-point range.
McLaughlin signed to a two-way contract with in late July, and made a good enough impression with the G League Wolves to get the call up to the Target Center.
McLaughlin made his NBA debut Nov. 6 and scored five points in 22 minutes. He played the next three games as Jeff Teague nursed himself back from an unspecified illness and tallied a total of six points, seven rebounds and six assists.
The guard would spend the next month in Iowa before his breakout game Monday against Golden State.
WOLF TRACKS
-- It’s been a rough month for Okogie. In the second-year guard’s last five games, he hasn’t topped six points (despite starting all five contests) and is shooting 6 of 31 from the field (19.4%) and 1 of 15 from 3-point range (6.7%).
-- Towns missed all three games last week due to a left knee injury.
-- Keita-Bates Diop continues to show progression. He poured in nine points Friday, five on Saturday and 10 on Monday night, his sixth game in double figures this season. Bates-Diop drained a 3-pointer in all three games last week and is shooting 43.5% from 3-point range.
-- Filling in for the injured Towns, Gorgui Dieng is averaging 14.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game over the last four contests. He posted a double-double Saturday in Portland with 15 points and 12 boards.
