Johnson is 17 games into his first season, which began with him being thrown into the deep end of the NBA's scoring pool and learning how to swim.
At times it's been difficult, other times rewarding. But always educational.
"It's been very, very, very difficult," Johnson said Sunday after practice. Talk about running the gamut. On Saturday night he had chased, often unsuccessfully, Golden State sniper Monta Ellis. The game before that he had his hands full with Ginobili. Before that he actually found himself trying to slow Oklahoma City 6-9 scorer Kevin Durant.
"Every night it's a different matchup," Johnson said. "Like Monta, he's very small, very quick. Explosive. Lethal scorer. But it seems like it's something different every night."
Johnson has already shown he belongs in the NBA. He has a smooth shot. He's long and lean and quick. But it's also clear he has a ways to go, on both ends of the floor. Small forward and shooting guard are the marquee offensive positions in the league. And that means no nights off.
"It takes guys a while, one, to learn how to play defense in this league," Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis said. "And two, to understand the players they're playing, and then to understand what they can and can't do against these guys. We're asking him to do an awful lot."
You think? Johnson came to the Wolves as the fourth overall pick in the draft with a silky shot but much to learn.
"He has to learn how to score on these guys, because most of them can defend," Rambis said. "And also how to handle the basketball. Because, when you look at the vast majority of those guys, they can all handle the ball. That's what allows them to create their own shot."
Or to run a pick-and-roll, to create contact and get to the line. "Those are all things he has to learn, as opposed to being a spot-up, stand-still shooter," Rambis said.
"It's definitely been a learning experience for me," Johnson said. "I'm just out there trying to find out what they do best, what they don't do best, so the next time I can have a better matchup on them."
According to Rambis, Johnson is getting steadily better, at both ends of the floor.
"You talk about all the stuff, the information, the new skill sets we're bombarding him with, the things he'll have to learn to be productive in this league?'' Rambis said. "To assume he would pick up all that stuff and be good at it now? There is no way. It doesn't happen like that. But he's going to get there."
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