Wolves rookie point guard LaVine learning gradually

SALT LAKE CITY – Timberwolves rookie Zach LaVine surpassed his career high for assists by four with 14 of them in Saturday's loss at Golden State by doing the smart thing.

"He found Troy," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said.

Newly acquired Troy Daniels went 4-on-4 on three-pointers during a fourth quarter when the game already had long before been decided. LaVine had the good sense to find him on two of those — back to back — and missed finding him wide open across court one other time.

"He found the guy that was hot," Saunders said. "That's part of it, too."

That's part of LaVine's education here in this spiraling season have gone 3-22 without injured Ricky Rubio, whose absence has created room for LaVine to play, for good and bad, 25 minutes a night on average.

This season that has meant a breakout 28-point game against the Lakers in Los Angeles followed the next game by a 12-minute, three-shot night. That also meant five- and six-turnover games, such as Saturday when he registered the third-most assists ever by a Wolves rookie while also committing five of his team's whopping 25 turnovers.

Only Stephon Marbury with 17 and Pooh Richardson 15 had more assists in a game as a rookie.

LaVine has been forced into learning, at age 19, point guard at the game's highest level because of Rubio's severely sprained ankle that has kept him out for the past seven weeks and because of back spasms that have limited veteran Mo Williams' playing time.

Saunders is hoping LaVine's hard lessons learned now eventually will pay benefits for a team that has lost its past eight games and 14 of the last 15.

"Every day he gets better and understands more," Saunders said. "It's a struggle when you're losing and you've lost a lot of close games, but that's how you get better."

Eventually, Saunders said he believes LaVine will grow — in more ways than one — into a shooting guard who can also play some at the point.

LaVine stood 6-3 when he enrolled at UCLA.

Saunders is eager for Rubio's return — perhaps within two weeks — so he can pair two playmakers with length in the same backcourt after LaVine and Rubio played together relatively little before Rubio was hurt.

"What we ideally want to do is put players on the floor and have those players be positionless," Saunders said before referring to Shabazz Muhammad and Andrew Wiggins. "Bazz can play the 2, the 3, even the 4. Wiggins can play multiple positions. Ricky can, too, because he can guard shooting guards. No question I want to see those two together because that's part of what the future is. Get these guys back and let them play together the last 50 games."

LaVine mostly played with Williams and Rubio mostly with Kevin Martin in preseason play. LaVine didn't play with much of anybody during the regular season's first four games before Rubio severely sprained his ankle.

"I'm ready to get some lobs, man," LaVine said. "I'm ready to get some highlights out there. I can get them on my own, but I know Ricky can help me out with them, too."

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