Timberwolves vs. Clippers: Big Test for Wiggins

The Minnesota Timberwolves face off against the Clippers on Saturday night. So far this season, Andrew Wiggins has fallen short against elite opponents. Coming off a hot streak, this match up will be a big test for Andrew Wiggins.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a blowout over the Orlando Magic. Andrew Wiggins has put up 36 and 29 points in his last two outings. Against elite competition in the Oklahoma City Thunder, Wiggins fell flat with just seven points. Facing another elite squad in the Clippers will function as a gauge to determine just how good Andrew Wiggins is.

Two-game hot streak

In a loss against the Brooklyn Nets and a win against the Magic, Wiggins played both efficiently and dominant. Facing the Nets, Wiggins got hot behind the arc with 6-7 in a 36 point performance. His game beyond the arc overshadowed an even more impressive performance by Wiggins.

He looked like a completely different player in Brooklyn. His movement off the ball was creative and energetic, leading to open buckets. Although he was only credited for two assists, his passing game came alive and looked very impressive. As always, Wiggins looked dominant in isolation situations, but that was just a fraction of his performance. The ball moved with fluidity, Wiggins took confident shots and the team itself looked different with Wiggins playing at that level.

To make matters more impressive, he kept it going into the game against the Magic. Wiggins kept the ball moving with six assists. He stayed warm beyond the arc with two threes, and with opponents respecting his shot more, he had several open lanes. Wiggins added another part to this game by aggressively drawing fouls as well.

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These two games made Wiggins look like an All-Star, but by default they must be taken with a grain of salt. Neither the Nets nor Magic have been impressive this year, so Wiggins needs to prove it against better competition.

The Clippers test

Simply reaching his season average of 24 points won’t be enough to prove it against the Clippers. Andrew Wiggins needs to carry over his invigorating play-making and confidence against a top-10 team. Luckily for Wiggins, small forward is the Clippers’ weakest position. While expecting a win for the Timberwolves in this spot may be a reach, asking Wiggins to simply retain his hot streak on his home court is a perfect test to see if he can make the leap.

Next: Minnesota Timberwolves Must Right the Ship

Watching Andrew Wiggins over the past two games has been as entertaining and impressive as anyone in the league. Timberwolves fans surely welcome this new-and-improved Wiggins, and keeping it going against elite competition would be a huge statement.