Kevin Love, without question, is the superstar on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yet with rumors rumbling over his potential departure, it raises the question: Can Nikola Pekovic and Ricky Rubio carry the team if he leaves?
Minnesota really is one of those teams that is better than their record. They are ninth in offensive rating, eighth in defensive rating and ninth in Basketball-Reference's SRS, a rating system based on margin of victory and strength of schedule.
They don't need an overhaul; they just need a break. Should Love force his way out, what can they do? And are Pekovic and Rubio enough to shoulder the load alone?
The Breakdown
Pekovic is one of the more underrated players in the in league, averaging 18.0 points and 9.1 rebounds. He has a player efficiency rating (PER) of 20.7, which is good for 21st in the league. That’s not enough to make him a superstar like Kevin Love (who is third with 28.3), but it’s very good.
Per Synergy, he is most effective as the roll man on the pick-and-roll, where he scores 1.18 points per play (PPP). And he's effective postin ...
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Article written by Kelly Scaletta
Can Nikola Pekovic and Ricky Rubio Carry Timberwolves If Kevin Love Leaves?
March 1st, 2014 by Kelly Scaletta Leave a reply »
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