WAY:The Pacers are third in the NBA in turnovers created,

The list of players in NBA history?who have averaged 20 points by age 20 is loaded with No. 1 overall picks, Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers. It includes Shaquille ONeal, Adrian Dantley, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.Last year Andrew Wiggins became the 10th player to reach the mark, when he averaged 20.7 points per game in his second year with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Pure scoring is a volume stat, and theres a reason why so many high picks score a lot: They generally go to bad teams who need someone to make baskets.Elton Brand, who had a good but not great career, is on it. As is Tyreke Evans, whose promising start was derailed by injuries. So its not the holy grail number, but the track records of the stars on the list says plenty. It also leaves a range of outcomes for Wiggins, who is still a bit of a mystery.Is he going to trend toward the superstars on that list? Will this, the golden third season when so many of the leagues great players took a leap, be when he does? These are vital questions for the future of the Wolves and what theyre going to make of their promising young roster.Tom Thibodeau knows it. Of all the projects hes working on in taking over a team that hasnt made the playoffs for 12 years, Wiggins is a priority. He has spent a lot of time with Wiggins since getting the job, being with him in individual workouts, video sessions and on the road. The teams potential is tied largely to Karl-Anthony Towns and Wiggins, but it is Wiggins whose future appears less clear.?When you look at what Andrews done, for a guy his age, its very impressive, Thibodeau said. He has to continue to grow, and so does Karl. We dont want to be known as young players with potential forever. That has to translate into something for our team. So I think the big thing is the challenge to be complete.Wiggins has developed a strong midrange game, and he has gotten more comfortable with this back to the basket. He gets to the foul line at a high rate, driving his scoring numbers, and although his 3-point shooting numbers arent great -- 30 percent for his career -- he made them at a 41 percent clip after the All-Star break last season. He has added bulk, though he still sometimes gets bodied by bigger small forwards.More alarming is his rebounding, just 3.6 per game last season, and his squishy defensive numbers. He ranked 38th among small forwards in real plus-minus, not surprising as the Wolves finished in the bottom five in team defense last year. Beyond the numbers, though, the eye test shows hes not yet reaching his capabilities as a defender. This is clearly an area where Thibodeau is going to work.He molded Jimmy Butler, a player with perhaps fewer physical gifts than Wiggins but remarkable will, into one of the leagues best wing players. Comparing Wiggins to Butler isnt fair; they have different traits, and Butler is older. But Thibodeau needs Wiggins to trend more toward Butler, who flourished under Thibodeaus daily challenges.His first two seasons have been very good, but it hasnt translated into wins, Thibodeau said. Commitment to improve is huge for us.Wiggins is feeling it. His first few months with Thibodeau have been heavy on defense and accountability, the gravelly voice on him with every defensive rotation. Wednesday in front of a quiet preseason crowd in Lincoln, Nebraska,?Thibodeaus voice boomed throughout the arena as Wiggins worked against the bigger and more mature Wilson Chandler of the Denver Nuggets. Wiggins had 20 points in just 28 minutes; his shot wasnt on, but his knack for getting to the foul line was in midseason form. He was trying to be in the right place at the right time, even if it wasnt always the case.I looked at my stats, and I was like, Im too big and too athletic to average three rebounds a game, Wiggins said. A lot of people can score. What else can you do?The book on Wiggins thus far in his young career is that hes immensely talented but sometimes looks like he doesnt have intensity to match. Some of the best games of his career came in his first few games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team that traded him for Kevin Love after letting him twist in the wind for the entire summer of 2014.In those games, he played with a fire in trying to prove a point; he averaged 32 points in his first three games against Cleveland. As impressive as it was, it left a question as to what could motivate him to do it more often.I dont think you really know a player until you coach him yourself, Thibodeau said. So you hear things, you see things. I know when I coached against Andrew his rookie year, he gave us fits. I know what hes capable of doing. I think its the personality type. Winners come in all personality types. Some guys have that quiet confidence, and they really go after you. Some guys can fool you, too. Sometimes a loud guy who you think is something other than what hes presenting, you find out hes not what he pretends to be. So you look at the actions more than anything else.Thibodeau has told his players about what he learned working with Team USA last summer, when he saw the leagues best players during their offseason pouring work in after practices and talking to each other, going over ideas. For someone who is never satisfied himself, the work ethic of the elite appealed to Thibodeau.And after early practices in training camp, there was Wiggins working out after practice with Thibodeau watching over him and then walking with him to the locker room with instructions.Im trying to take a leadership role; Im really trying to break this playoff slump, Wiggins said. When we were working out on individual stuff, coach tries to get to know you -- he really tries to learn your game. We can be as good as we want to be. I know thats a general thing to say, I know. Were working on it.For October, thats all that can really be said. Wiggins is working on it. So is Thibodeau.You get into tough situations, how does a guy respond? How does a guy work? When youre going against the best, how does he respond? And I think that gets revealed over time, Thibodeau said. But the drive, the passion, the intelligence -- those things go a long way. 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INDIANAPOLIS -- If the opening tip-off was any indication as to how the game would go, it was clear the Indiana Pacers didnt have anything for Dwight Howard and the Atlanta Hawks.As the referee tossed the ball between Myles Turner and Howard, Turner opted against jumping, conceding the tip-off to Howard and the Hawks. It was indicative of how the rest of the game would play out Wednesday night.The effort and energy (tonight) started with me and I have to make sure that every night I bring the same effort and energy, Howard said. When Im able to get in there and crash the boards, just get a feel for the game, it makes everything easier.Howard had 23 points and 20 rebounds to help the Hawks beat the Pacers 96-85. Paul Millsap added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Hawks.I thought (Dwight) came out with a mindset from the beginning of the game, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. It felt like he was getting every rebound, going to the offensive board and getting put backs. He had something to say before the game to the team. I think starting the right way was important and I think he did it with his actions, he did it with his play,Indiana rallied to cut Atlantas lead to a point with 3:42 left in the third quarter, but the Hawks pulled away with a 19-2 run. The Pacers failed to make a basket in the first 4 minutes of the fourth quarter.Budenholzer noted it was Atlantas finish to the third quarter, extending its lead to eight points, that was ultimately what gave the Hawks enough to keep the Pacers at a distance.Thaddeus Young led the Pacers with 24 points and had seven rebounds. Monta Elliis added 19 points, and Paul George had 18.ddddddddddddhe Hawks outrebounded Indiana 56 to 37, and outscored the Pacers 48 to 34 in the paint, and 19 to 11 in second chance points. Indiana had just seven offensive rebounds.We just didnt squash down on Howard. I think he had nine offensive rebounds and thats huge when playing a team like the Hawks. You cant let them get offensive rebounds and extra possessions, Young said.AN IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY:The Pacers are third in the NBA in turnovers created, forcing their opponents into 16.2 mistakes per game, ranking fourth with an average of 9.2 steals per game. On Wednesday night, the Hawks turned the ball over 21 times, and of those 15 were the result of an Indiana steal.LOCKED UP:The Hawks are second in the NBA in fourth quarter defense, allowing opponents 21.8 points per game in the fourth quarter. On Wednesday night, the Hawks held Indiana to 19 points. It was the eighth time this season Atlanta has held it opponent to fewer than 20 points in the fourth quarter. The Hawks are 6-2 when achieving this milestone.TIP INS:Indiana: Jeff Teague has scored in double figures in each of the last nine games. ... Youngs 24-point effort was just the second time this season he has scored 20 points or more.Atlanta: The victory was the Hawks 100th over Indiana ... The Hawks have held at least a 10-point lead in 12 games this season and have six double-digit wins.UP NEXT:Indiana: Hosts Brooklyn on Friday.Atlanta: At Utah on Friday. ' ' '