After a dismal 0-4 start to 2017, the Minnesota Timberwolves steered their season back on course winning 8 of their next 11 games. Unfortunately, a recent three-game losing stretch and the loss of shooting guard Zach LaVine has left a sense of uncertainty for Timberwolves fans. The Timberwolves are now three and a half games back of the final playoff seed in the Western Conference and will need someone to fill the void left by the LaVine injury.
Many will point to small forward Andrew Wiggins and center Karl-Anthony Towns to pick up the slack as the Timberwolves bench has been abysmal this season. The Timberwolves bench ranks last in scoring this season contributing only 21.8 points per game.
However, small forward Shabazz Muhammad has been red hot in his last 14 games and has shined seeing an uptick in minutes since the beginning of the season. Muhammad makes his presence known immediately by regularly scoring on his first offensive possession after entering the game. In the last 14 games, Muhammad has averaged 12.4 points per game shooting 50.8 percent from the floor.
Muhammad’s recent scoring numbers are comparable to some of the best sixth men in the NBA such as Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford, Denver Nuggets small forward Wilson Chandler and Los Angeles Lakers guard Lou Williams. The table below shows the comparison of each player over the last 14 games.
| Player | Min per Game | PPG | FG% | 3P% |
| Shabazz Muhammad | 23.9 | 12.4 | 50.8 | 52.5 |
| Jamal Crawford | 28.3 | 11.6 | 36.6 | 33.3 |
| Wilson Chandler | 28.1 | 15.9 | 48.6 | 34.7 |
| Lou Williams | 28.5 | 19.1 | 43.7 | 41.6 |
The scoring averages vary between all of the players, but Muhammad stands out among his peers by being more efficient yet playing significantly less. Which begs the question: should Muhammad play more minutes?
The answer to that question is yes. When Muhammad plays more than 25 minutes in a game this season, the Timberwolves have a record of 6-2. He not only provides scoring off the bench but he allows head coach Tom Thibodeau more flexibility in his substitutions and rotations. Given his size, Muhammad can defend shooting guards, small forwards and some power forwards when opposing teams have a smaller lineup on the court.
With LaVine out for the remainder of the season, Muhammad should see his minutes increase, boosting his raw statistical totals. He is certainly making his case for Timberwolves’ ownership to open their checkbook at the end of this season.
Muhammad is set to become a restricted free agent and will command a much larger contract than his current rookie deal. If Muhammad can build upon his recent stellar play and the Timberwolves are able to sign him to a long-term deal, he could play the vital role of the sixth man for the Timberwolves in years to come.
Logan Metzger is a contributor to HowlinTwolf.com. Follow him on Twitter: @loganmetzger33
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