Timberwolves first-round pick Josh Okogie has looked good in back-to-back games of expanded playing time.
On Saturday, Okogie started in place of Jimmy Butler, who was given the night off for rest purposes. Then, on Monday, Okogie was given more playing time than expected after Andrew Wiggins left the game with a contusion to his right quad.
The 20-year-old shooting guard had 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 29 minutes against the Mavericks on Saturday, and in Minnesota’s 101-91 win over the Pacers on Monday he came off the bench to score 12 points with 4 rebounds and 3 steals.
He scored a couple of baskets in transition, used his pump fake to blow by a defender and rise high for a layup, pump-faked again to get his defender in the air and then knocked down an and-one jumper; and hit a step-back 3-pointer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2Xag6qWfEs
“I just like the way he sort of persevered through it,” head caoch Tom Thibodeau said of Okogie, via Fox Sports North. “I thought the spirit of the team was strong. His teammates were encouraging him to shoot, and he just kept playing, which I think is important.”
Interestingly, it was the first time this season Minnesota has held an opponent under 100 points, which makes some sense because the Wolves worked in a lineup of Tyus Jones, Okogie, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Tolliver and Karl-Anthony Towns, three of whom are known for being solid defenders.
Wiggins is day-to-day with the quad contusion, so it might mean Okogie slides into the starting lineup when the Wolves play the Raptors in Toronto on Wednesday night. That said, Wiggins missing a game in his hometown would be a surprise unless he’s just physically unable to play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2Xag6qWfEs
