Subscribe
Follow Us
The Minnesota Timberwolves have only made the playoffs once since a run to the Western Conference Finals in 2004, and they lost in five games to the Houston Rockets in a 2017-18 season featuring Jimmy Butler leading the way. Butler then forced his way out the next season, leading to three more losing seasons. However, this 2021-22 campaign is shaping up to feature a return to the postseason, or at least the play-in tournament.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D'Angelo Russell are leading the way in the first full season under head coach Chris Finch, who has unleashed some reliable role players in Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaden McDaniels, and even former Los Angeles Clippers defender Patrick Beverley. The Timberwolves used to get consistently exposed defensively, and it did not seem ideal for their front office to hire an offensive-minded coach in Finch, but he has improved their defensive rating from 28th last season to 15th this season.
Minnesota is 31-28 and holding the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference, which is 2.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Denver Nuggets and two games ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Los Angeles Lakers are lurking 3.5 games back. The target is now on the Timberwolves' back entering the second half of the season, and there are some key questions they will need to answer in order to make the postseason.
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Timberwolves Burning Questions
1. Are their defensive numbers sustainable?
Towns, Edwards, and Russell are not exactly known for their defensive prowess. These stars all play over 30 minutes every night, thus making it integral for them to sustain their performance as defense requires a whole ton of constant effort and desire to contain the five opponents on the floor. Vanderbilt and Beverley are the perfect complements for these three individuals because they are willing to do the dirty work and mix it up against the stars of the opposing squad.
While the Timberwolves have made a big leap defensively to the middle of the pack this season, there have been some cracks in the armor of late. Minnesota must buckle down on that end of the court and get back to making more stops, because that would help them keep a playoff spot thanks to a dynamic offensive attack.
2. Can Towns or Edwards be the leader for this group?
Even with little pressure in Minnesota to go on a deep playoff run this season, there will still be disappointment from their fans if they are already at that stage and fail to make some noise. The bright lights will specifically be on Towns and Edwards, and it will be a massive challenge for them to elevate their numbers when the games become more vital.
As the best players in the organization, they must also possess tremendous leadership qualities in galvanizing their teammates. Both of these athletes are still inexperienced at the playoff level, so it is still a glaring question mark as to how Minnesota will adjust when it is time for postseason basketball. Having a veteran in place like Beverley will help when it comes to leadership, but the youngsters will need to step up as well given they are the best players on the team.
3. Can they execute their half-court sets against the best defenses?
As defenses scout and realize the strengths of this young and athletic Minnesota team, it is essential for them to execute their half-court sets at an excellent level. It is inevitable for the pace to slow down in the playoffs when teams are able to study and analyze their opponent for a whole series. A problem that could arise for the Timberwolves is that many of the buckets converted by Towns, Edwards, and Russell are in transition.
Minnesota is fifth in the league in fast-break points with 14.6 per night. As mentioned, their defense has improved immensely, which gives them a slew of more chances to push the pace and create easy baskets. With everyone adjusting in the playoffs, Minnesota must have that reliable two-man game with either Edwards and Towns or Russell and Towns. Additionally, their wings must be reliable outside shooters and continuously attack the closeouts as well to keep defenses guessing every possession.
Even if Minnesota fails to advance to the top eight or become serious competitors in the first round, this will be a huge learning opportunity for them this season. Towns, Edwards, and Russell are all so young, so they still have a ton of time to continually learn and possibly become legitimate contenders in the future.
