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It seems that whenever Minnesota Timberwolves guard Derrick Rose steps into the starting lineup he consistently posts big numbers. Although that’s obviously not always the case and it doesn’t necessarily lead to wins, Rose has still put together an impressive NBA season to this point. So much so, that it’s led to some calling for Rose to start at point guard over Jeff Teague.
One week ago when the team faced the Detroit Pistons, Teague was ruled out with an ankle injury. Rose played 38 minutes and poured in 33 points with seven assists on 14-29 shooting. Although it’s just one game, it does pose the question of whether he should take over as the starter moving forward.
While not every game has played out quite like this one, the numbers still may point to Rose being deserving of a starting nod for Minnesota moving forward. Let’s take a deeper dive into the debate and then make the call.
Derrick Rose’s Performances With Jeff Teague Out
It’s worth noting that Rose has had games where he’s filled in for others beyond just Teague, but the Timberwolves’ current starting point guard has missed 10 games. Including the aforementioned game above, we’ve seen Rose post some big stat lines when his number was called. It’s a small sample size, but the game above is a nice starting point.
Along with his performance against the Pistons, a few of Rose’s stronger showings included a line of 21 points, five assists and six rebounds against the Sacramento Kings this week. He’s also racked up games featuring 31/5/3 (at Lakers), 21/4/3 (at Clippers), 13/11/2 (vs. Kings), and the infamous 50-point outing (with six assists and four rebounds) against the Jazz.
Derrick Rose vs. Jeff Teague Stats
It’s worth noting that Rose and Teague are obviously two very different players. The former is a better scorer while you could argue the latter is the better passer. Regardless, both players are 30 years old at this point, and Rose has almost unquestionably had the better season through more than one-third of the year.
In 30 games for the former NBA Most Valuable Player, Rose has averaged 18.6 points and 4.6 assists on an impressive 48.5 percent shooting. He’s also been on fire from beyond the arc, making 46.9 percent of his attempts. On the opposite side, while Teague has posted solid numbers, his scoring is down from last season while the assists are up.
Through 23 games for Teague, he’s averaged 11.6 points, and a career-best 8.3 assists per. He’s shooting just 38.4 percent from the field, though, and made 31.1 percent from beyond the arc. The longtime Atlanta Hawks guard is also averaging 31.5 minutes per game, so he’s seeing a bit more court time than Rose, who’s seen 29.6 minutes.
So, the big question becomes, who should lead the way for the Timberwolves for the remainder of the 2018-19 NBA season?
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