The transfer of Rudy Gobert to the The Minnesota Timberwolves He will end up going down in history as one of the greatest in terms of first rounds of Drafts involved (a total of five). But also as a risky bet for an interior when in the roster there was already one and of great weight as Karl-Anthony Towns. Teams in small markets are constantly forced in the NBA to make extreme moves and pay a high price to improve their rotation. Thus, the Wolves They bet everything on the best project they have had in the last two decades in the hope that the mix of defending and emerging talent Anthony Edwards They would give quick results.
The reality was somewhat different.
The union of Towns and Gobert left not very positive feelings last season. Although the numbers showed optimistic data, the fit between the two greats was anything but natural and constantly required extra effort from the Frenchman. As the games went by and after the Dominican’s return from injury, the sensations were somewhat different, especially with the arrival of Mike Conley to the point guard position.
Thus, in the blink of an eye, the Timberwolves formed one of the most balanced starting quintets with the greatest defensive potential in the entire league: Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Towns y Gobert. It was only a matter of time before all the pieces fell into place.
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Time is the best ally in the construction processes in the NBA, more on a defensive level. And Minnesota’s coaching staff has done a magnificent job of analysis and praxis to find the best way to make their team work defensively. Because performing well at the back with such capital is a matter of inertia, but doing so at an elite level is a big deal.
At the start of the 2023-2024 season, The Minnesota Timberwolves are the best defense in the league by far. Chris Finch’s team has the best defensive ratio, allowing 102.1 points per 100 possessions. The distance with the second? 3.7, practically the same as between the Boston Celtics (2nd) and the Miami Heat (9th; 109.8).
Although only a handful of matches have been played in a very extensive Regular Phase and this figure will end up rising and stabilizing at more common figures, it does not mean that the level behind the Wolves is sublime.
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Minnesota’s defensive breakdown reflects this. A team that is allowing only andl 61.8% success rate in the hoopthe most difficult space to defend, and a 37.6% in the restricted zone, This being the third best record of the competition. Although where those from Minneapolis are being most brilliant is in the defense of the triplegranting only a 29.4% to their opponents on the front.
And how are they doing it? Resorting to an old trick taken from the Utah Jazz that consists of placing Rudy Gobert on a player who does not usually actively participate in the rival offense:
In this way, the Frenchman can act as an active help in any foray into the hoop. In such a way that not only does he have to overcome the first defensive line of the Timberwolves, but after that he is forced to resolve in front of a Gobert ready to condition any layup or short shot near the rim.
A strategy that in the last five years has spread throughout the NBA to squeeze the most out of large defenders who are not very mobile and focus its impact not so much on direct blocking but rather on extra games or when the opponent gains an advantage. Perhaps the most visual example for the fan is how Ime Udoka’s Celtics used Robert Williams and 2022.
Through this defensive configuration, the paint is safer in the face of the fixed presence of a giant like Gobert guarding the rim, allowing the rest to be more aggressive on the ball or in feints and “protecting” Towns.
The risk of this plan is that it can allow a high volume of three-pointers in the cornerswhich is behind the 40% accuracy rate from there that the Minnesota opponents have scored and 37.5% in the case of the French interior.
But the Timberwolves defense goes far beyond the Frenchman, which makes it a highly dangerous team to compete against. Despite his seniority, Mike Conley still has fuel to support his team behind, increasing the intensity, being intelligent in coverage and what risks to take. To this we must add Jaden McDaniels who, despite his departures from everything, is an extraordinary defender in help, as well as Anthony Edwards who, thanks to his progression and intensity, has become an invaluable asset for Minny.
The search for very large formats, with fours that accompany Gobert and are crucial, is behind the success of the Timberwolves defense at this start of the campaign. Figures like Kyle Anderson or Naz Reid, or Towns himself They go a long way toward explaining how Minnesota has managed to get up there. It is enough to see them defend to understand it:
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Defense is usually a foundational axis of winning teams, but one that is not always appreciated enough in retrospect because of how difficult it is to do it at a good level and in a sustained manner in this NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves opted for an idea and were faithful to it. Making changes and adjustments, of course, but trusting that his analysis was correct.
Now, more than a year after adding to a 3 times Defender of the Year and surround him with players capable of helping him, the Wolves are in a position to become a problem to solve for the rest of the NBA.
Their peak is not the ring and that is precisely why they should not be measured with that yardstick, but with the historical perspective of their project and the ambition of the chosen path.
2023-11-15 10:25:59
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