On 3-point tear, Beasley on verge of Wolves record

Malik Beasley has played all of 43 games in a Minnesota Timberwolves uniform, but he’s already rewriting a few franchise records — especially from the 3-point line.

Beasley knocked down 50 3-pointers in the month of January to set a Wolves franchise high for triples in the year’s opening month. He went 0-for-6 from downtown in Minnesota’s loss to Cleveland on Feb. 1, but since then, the 24-year-old has nailed 3+ triples in his last nine contests. That stretch includes three games of six 3-pointers and a career-high seven 3s against Charlotte on Feb. 12.

One more game of at least three 3-pointers and Beasley will tie the franchise record with 10 straight contests with 3+ 3s. Karl-Anthony Towns owns the team’s high mark with 10, set during the 2019-20 season.

Beasley has two other streaks of six games with at least a trio of 3-pointers, tied for the third-longest stretch in Wolves history along with Zach LaVine (2016-17) and Rashad McCants (2007-08).

Beasley has 149 career 3-pointers in 43 games in a Wolves uniform. It might seem ridiculous to state, but it’s true: If Beasley continues at the pace he’s at, he’ll land on Minnesota’s top-10 franchise leaders in 3-point makes before the 2020-21 season concludes.

Ricky Rubio ranks 10th all-time with 254 3s. McCants, picked in the first round by Minnesota in 2005, ranks 9th all-time with 267. Since Rubio will (likely) nail another 14 3-pointers this season and move into ninth place, we did the math for Beasley surpassing McCants.

Beasley averages 3.5 makes per game over his Wolves career. If he continues that pace, he needs 34 games to catch McCants. Minnesota has 43 regular-season games remaining on its schedule.

He’ll get another chance to chase 3-point records Friday night when the Wolves host Toronto. The game will be televised on FOX Sports North with “Wolves Live” beginning at 7:30 p.m.

NOTABLE

— Currently shooting 52.4% from the field, Naz Reid is on pace to become the first undrafted player in Wolves history to knock down shots at a 50% clip or better (among qualified players).

— Toronto beat Milwaukee 110-96 on Thursday. The good news for Minnesota? The Raptors are 0-4 this season on the second night of a back-to-back.

— Eleven straight Timberwolves games have been decided by single digits. That’s the second-longest streak in team history, right behind 12 consecutive games in the 2015-16 season.

Statistics courtesy Sportradar