Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau was asked about Andrew Wiggins' franchise-record 19-game streak with 20 or more points, a streak that ended Saturday in an overtime loss in San Antonio.
In typical Thibodeau fashion, he said Wiggins can do even better.
"There is a lot of room for growth,'' Thibodeau said.
Saturday, due mainly to Spurs star Kawhi Leonard, Wiggins finished with 17 points on 6-for-24 shooting. Interestingly, Wiggins' 19-point streak of scoring 20 or more points began after a loss in San Antonio Jan. 17 and was ended in San Antonio.
In those two games vs. the Spurs Wiggins was a combined 6-for-32. During his 19-game streak, he shot better than 50 percent.
That's probably not a surprise, given Leonard's marvelous two-way game. To Thibodeau, it just points out what can be learned from watching the way Leonard and the Spurs operate.
"I thought Kawhi had a great quote after the game about how he prepares for every challenge he faces,'' Thibodeau said. "In that sometimes, when things don't go well, you have to keep going, keep pounding, you have to keep grinding. That comes from your preparation. That's a mentality. That's what winners do.''
And that, clearly, is what he wants to continue seeing from Wiggins. "I want Wigg to improve, to get better, to be strong on both sides of the ball. He can make this whatever he wants it to be. But he's got to work.''
