http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=5809427Trending Player: Michael Beasley, SF, Minnesota Timberwolves
Beasley just enjoyed his best week as a pro. The No. 2 overall pick in 2008 averaged 29.8 points as Minnesota split four games and played tough in road losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Atlanta Hawks. The highlight of Beasley's coming-out party was a 42-point outburst Wednesday in Sacramento, making him one of four players this season to score 40 or more. But despite the gaudy numbers and efficient shooting, it is not yet clear that Beasley has found a sustainable formula for big-time scoring success.
After struggling to find a role in Miami, Beasley has settled in as a small forward with the Timberwolves and adapted his game accordingly, becoming more of a perimeter player. According to Hoopdata.com, Beasley has attempted 5.8 shots per game from 16 to 23 feet, putting him 11th in the league.
It was those perimeter shots that Beasley relied upon to beat the Kings. Fifteen out of his 31 field goal attempts came on long 2-pointers. Beasley knocked down 10 of them, accounting for almost half his 42 points. While Beasley did get to the free throw line 10 times, the most amazing statistic from Beasley's big game was that he did not make a single shot at the rim. Beasley had more of a presence in the paint against New York on Friday, when he scored 10 of his 35 points at the rim. Yet Beasley also was a red-hot 7-of-9 from 16 to 23 feet.
That kind of accurate shooting on long 2s will be difficult for Beasley to sustain. Before Wednesday, he was shooting 42.9 percent from 16 to 23 feet. The league average from that distance is even worse (39.9 percent). While players like Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki show that it is possible to make a living with long 2s as a staple, Beasley has not yet proved to be at their level. But his 25-point game Sunday at Atlanta might be more encouraging for the long term. Beasley made all six of his attempts in the paint and added just enough longer shots to finish 10-of-16 from the field.
