Minnesota Timberwolves: Zach LaVine Out For The Season With Torn ACL

An MRI taken on Saturday revealed a torn ACL for Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard, Zach LaVine.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be without the services of their starting shooting guard, Zach LaVine, for the remainder of this season.

After suffering to what appeared to be a lower body injury during their loss on Friday night to the hands of the Detroit Pistons, an MRI revealed the two-time defending slam dunk champion had suffered a torn ACL.

Going into Friday’s matchup, LaVine was enjoying a breakout season of sorts. In fact, the 21-year-old pogostick had been averaging north of 20 points per game for the first two months of the year.

The former UCLA Bruin was averaging 21.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists a contest (on 60.2 percent True Shooting Percentage) heading into the new calendar year.

However, Zach would suffer a hip injury on January 9 against the Dallas Mavericks, an injury that would keep LaVine out of the subsequent two contests. When he returned, the Renton, WA native would endure a midseason shooting slump, which saw his scoring average and TS% dip to 13.5 points per game and 51.0 percent, respectively.

Injuries aside, LaVine — in true Tom Thibodeau fashion — had been among the league leaders in minutes per game this season.

Looking forward, it will be interesting to monitor how coach Thibs juggles around his rotations to compensate for the shooting and open court athleticism LaVine brought on a consistent basis.

Earlier this year, Thibs started resident stretch-4, Nemanja  Bjelica, at the small forward position, while sliding Andrew Wiggins to the 2 — a position that a large contingent of the Wolves faithful claim is his natural spot.

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During the aforementioned two-game stretch in which LaVine missed in January, though, Thibs turned to veteran Brandon Rush to fill the void.

Both moves would effectively keep swing man energizer, Shabazz Muhammad, in a sixth man capacity — a role in which he has thrived in over the last several weeks.

To alleviate the number of miles and minutes he has putting on Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, Thibs could (and should) also experiment with his overall rotation.

For one, with a weakened backcourt, the former NBA Coach of the Year could slide rookie Kris Dunn to the 2 and play alongside Ricky Rubio — a pairing most Wolves fans have been dying to see.  Such a move will also free up Minnesota cult favorite, Tyus Jones, to eat up the remaining minutes at the backup point.

Nevertheless, for a team deprived of competent outside shooting, it is going to an uphill battle towards the eighth seed from here on out.

Despite LaVine’s offensive prowess, however, Minnesota should be better defensively (which is not saying much) in replacing the third-year athletic marvel with either Rush of Bjelly.  In fact, the Wolves relent 8.5 fewer points per 100 possessions this season when LaVine is off the floor, per Basketball-Reference.

LaVine’s extended absence could also, in theory, solidify the roles on this young Timberwolves squad. With Zach in the fold, Minnesota had three 20-point scorers, all below the age of 22. There were many times this season, especially during their infamous third quarter lulls and numerous crunch time moments, where the offensive pecking order was blurred to say the least.

Without LaVine, the Wolves could make a run with Rubio solidified as the primary ballhandler, Wiggins as the main perimeter threat, with the offense running through KAT in the low/pinch post.

Undoubtedly, the Zach LaVine injury is a punch in the gut in what has been a season of disappointments for the NBA’s “team of the future.”

When taking a glass half full approach, however, the ailment may serve as a blessing in disguise.  The time off may allow the Timberwolves to establish a true identity, while giving Zach the platform to build his upper and lower body, and come back stronger and more athletic than ever, a la Jabari Parker.

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If his exponential growth as a player and shooter is of any indication as to what type of worker Zach LaVine is, expect him to return with a vengeance come the beginning of next season.