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Keita Bates-Diop Shows His Growth In First NBA Start

Saturday night was a night of firsts for Keita Bates-Diop.

In the Wolves’ 135-130 OT victory over the Wizards, Bates-Diop got his first NBA start. He also reached double digits for the first time in his career. To top it off he played 36 minutes—by far the most he’s ever played in a game.

Bates-Diop entered the starting lineup because Andrew Wiggins was on the bench with a quad contusion and he took advantage of the opportunity. He finished with 12 points including a three-pointer, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. He also spent a lot of the game guarding the Wizards’ best player in Bradley Beal.