Some like to think to that the center position is the most important one in the league. Those people are misguided, as now more than ever, the imperativeness of boasting a competent point guard has never been more evident.
Look at the New York Knicks. Look at the Los Angeles Lakers. Hell, look at the Orlando Magic, a team with the league’s best center and a faltering point guard. Each of these teams are struggle to scrape a victory.
Now take a look at the Houston Rockets. Then take a look at the Atlanta Hawks. And then feast your eyes on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Each of these teams has thrived thanks to the emergence of a point guard, most notably Minnesota and their Spanish hero Ricky Rubio.
How good is Rubio? Coming into the season, he generated a lot of hype for a kid who struggled to average six points and a handful of assists per game overseas. Twenty-0ne games into his rookie season though, critics and doubters are left paralyzed.
Rubio is averaging an impressive 11.1 points, 8.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. More impressive than his stats though, is the effect he has on the entire team. Kevin Love has never looked better, Derrick Williams is coming along nicely and Darko Milicic no longer looks completely incapable, which is no easy feat. Most recently, he helped Michael Beasley break out of his offensive rut, which again, is easier said than done.
At only 21, the savvy point guard has exhibited an awareness of a seasoned veteran. His passes are Steve Nash crisp and his effortless penetration emulates Rajon Rondo.
Love made the Timberwolves bearable to watch again, but Rubio has made them relevant. The team is one game below .500 and only two games back of the eighth and final playoff spot for the Western Conference. It’s still early, but at the same time it isn’t. In just 10 games, the campaign will be nearing its halfway mark, and amidst a condensed schedule, every game counts.
Wins against the surging Rockets are not to be taken lightly. Rubio helped the Timberwolves manhandle a playoff team on its own court. Minnesota has yet to show it can dell out such a romping on a nightly basis, but they are now, for the first time since Kevin Garnett, a threat to win on any given night, against any given team.
Will Rubio lead the Timberwolves to a playoff appearance this spring? While it’s going to be tough for Minnesota to distinguish itself from a deep Western Conference, it’s far from out of the question. The shortened season has opened the door for unproven teams to take center stage; it has created an opportunity for the unexpected to become a reality.
And as long as Rubio is at the helm, anything is possible for these Timberwolves.
Dan Favale is an avid basketball analyst and firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His work can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
