Life has been good for D'Angelo Russell since he made the move to the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the February trade deadline. So much so, that on Friday night, the 6-foot-4 point guard reached a statistical milestone that has been achieved by only two other players in the past — no less than Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
D'Angelo Russell has averaged 24.4 pts and 8.0 asts in his 5 games with the #Timberwolves. In the past 30 years, the only other players to average 24+ pts and 8+ asts in their first 5 games with a team are Allen Iverson with Denver (06-07) and LeBron James with the Lakers (18-19) pic.twitter.com/qsTu2Ku8Oy
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) February 28, 2020
That's quite a company to keep for Russell, who has adjusted well to life in Minnesota. In his six appearances for the Timberwolves thus far, the former All-Star is averaging a career-best 25.0 points (on 45.9 percent shooting), 3.8 rebounds, 7.8 assists (also a career-high mark), 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks, while also connecting on 4.0 3-pointers on a 40.7-percent clip. The sample size is indeed small, but at this point, it's safe to say that Russell has incorporated himself well in his new team's system.
It is also worth noting that Minnesota cornerstone superstar Karl-Anthony Towns is currently out with a fractured wrist, which has propelled Russell as the primary scoring option for a shorthanded Wolves side.
On Friday, Russell finished with a team-high 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting, along with three rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block in 36 minutes of action. This impressive performance would, unfortunately, come in another losing effort, with the Orlando Magic emerging with a 136-125 home victory against Russell and company.
The arrival of Russell has not exactly helped the Wolves turn their season around, as they have now won just one out of the six games since they traded for the 24-your-old. Minnesota is still sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 17-41 record, above only the hapless Golden State Warriors who are 12-47.
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