After a poor start to the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves are suddenly one of the hottest teams in the league and seem completely changed. This development is due to several factors and can make Wolves fans dream of a bright future.
Life as a Minnesota Timberwolves fan has never been easy. Apart from the horrific average temperatures in the winter months in Minneapolis, basketball at the Target Center has rarely warmed the heart in the almost three decades since it was founded.
In five of the first six years of existence, at least 60 games were lost, something that has never happened before in the history of the league. With Kevin Garnett things went uphill, the best record in the west (58-24) and the subsequent trip to the Conference Finals 2004 should remain the highlight of the franchise history. Neither with savior Kevin Love, nor with Jimmy Butler or Karl-Anthony Towns, a playoff series has been won.
With Anthony Edwards picked at number one in 2020, success should finally return to Minnesota, a poorly coached team, many injuries and Corona thwarted this venture. The 21/22 season threatened to fit seamlessly into this series (3-7 start). But then there was a jolt through the team. Since then Minny has had a record of 8-3, is one of the hottest teams in the league and has a five-man lineup that is second to none. But how did that happen?
Minnesota Timberwolves: A big mixes up the starting five
Our search for clues begins on November 13th in Los Angeles. In front of a home crowd, the Lakers had to play against a supposed lottery team from Minnesota, which had just lost six games in a row and made devastating appearances in some cases. The planned show went completely in the pants from LA point of view, an 83: 107 for the guests was on the scoreboard at the end and Anthony Davis spoke of a “shameful” defeat.
Only real NBA foxes probably noticed the small change in the Wolves’ starting five in the run-up to the game. In shape, Jaden McDaniels slipped into the second row and Jarred Vanderbilt took his place alongside Patrick Beverley, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and Towns. Coach Chris Finch hoped for improved rebounding and more relief for KAT in the zone.
But he would not have imagined the resulting effect in his wildest dreams. McDaniels feels visibly more comfortable coming off the bench and Vanderbilt conjures up incredible minutes with the starting five. Five represents the best offensive rating (133.7) AND the best defensive rating (85.4) in the entire league (at least 10 games and 90 minutes played)!
As a result, the Wolves suddenly have a top 10 defensive, which was not even among defensive fanatic Tom Thibodeau and generally last in the 2003/04 season. The energy with which the Wolves chase after their opponents and protect their ring this season is truly impressive.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Defense, Baby!
They throw themselves into the third most passes in the league (17.8 deflections), pull the second most charges (0.95), take back the fourth most balls (7.1), steal the fourth most (9.2) and block the second most (6 , 2). Finch sparked the decisive spark at the beginning of the season.
For years the Wolves played a drop coverage in pick’n’roll. This means that the center dives after an opponent’s screen and defends the player who is pulling to the basket within the line of three. In this scheme, however, Town’s lack of speed and his vulnerability in the zone were constantly revealed, which is why this was often a popular and promising play for the opponent. As of this year, the drop coverage is history and the Wolves-Big no longer dives into the zone, but puts pressure on the opposing ball handler.
There the length and athleticism of Towns and the other Bigs come into play, closing the pass paths with their long arms and not giving the attacker an easy path into the zone. If this is successful, the best case scenario is that the help defense will be waiting there. And if necessary, the Wolves know how to help themselves with fouls to show that there are no more easy points in their zone. This aggressive style of play leads to the most fouls in the league (23.1), but also to the most forced turnovers (17.8 – by far!).
This new direction has something to do not only with the new scheme, but also with the arrival of Patrick Beverley. After playing almost no role at the Clippers last season, he is worth gold for the young Wolves team with his experience and defensive skills. The three-time all-defensive guard is the third-best defender in the league (32.0 DFG%) and has been known as a fighting dog for years. No opponent is too big for him, no scorer too talented. That may not always be crowned with success, but his energy has changed the Wolves defense completely.
Russell, otherwise known as a below-average defender, is eighth in the league in terms of defensive rating (97.3) and finally knows how to use his 1.93 m profitably on a defensive basis. That, paired with Beverly, the steadily growing Anthony Edwards and Vanderbilt, leads to the second best perimeter defense in the league (31.5 D3P%).
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