Friday night was a must-win game for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They were facing off with the Portland Trail Blazers, who made headlines on Thursday night after losing by 62 points. Now on the second night of a back-to-back, the Blazers were facing an uphill battle, especially without DeAndre Ayton and Shaedon Sharpe as their long road trip came to a close.
The Timberwolves didn’t wait around for a slow Blazers team. Jumping out to a convincing 11-0 lead to start the game, Minnesota took it by the throat early. Last year’s team struggled to show up for games like this; however, with the Wolves holding a 21-point lead at halftime, Friday night was another clear indication that the 2023-24 version of Minnesota is different.
With that being said, here are two big takeaways from the Timberwolves' 116-93 win over the Trail Blazers.
Timberwolves show enhanced maturity this season
A year ago, the Timberwolves were the sole playoff team with a losing record against sub-.500 opponents. This season, the Wolves seem to put those teams away with ease. After Friday’s win over Portland, they now boast a 12-2 record against below .500 teams, a significant turnaround from the 2022-23 campaign. There are multiple factors behind this, but the biggest reasons comes from an increased maturity within the group.
Last year's trade deadline shakeup that sent former Wolves guard D’Angelo Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers — and, now, perhaps on the trade block again — brought in two key pieces for the T-Wolves, Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Earlier this season, head coach Chris Finch highlighted Conley’s value to the group by stating, “He’s really goddamn important,” after a series of close wins. While Russell historically has put up some impressive numbers, there is no denying that Minnesota is flat out better with Conley at the point.
While capable of running the show, Conley's selflessness amplifies teammate Anthony Edwards. The 16-year veteran is comfortable playing off the basketball and allowing Ant and Karl-Anthony Towns to be the offensive go-to guys. When called upon though, Conley still performs at a very high level. On Friday night, Mike Conley dished out 10 first-half assists, leading the Wolves to a big lead early.
On the night, the Wolves' starting point guard contributed nine points of his own in just 20 minutes. His veteran presence combined with a year of growth from other Timberwolves highlights why Minnesota is now winning games they might’ve lost a year ago.
Rudy Gobert is a force to be reckoned with
The Timberwolves' double-double machine asserted his dominance all game long against the struggling Blazers. Portland just did not have an answer for the Stifle Tower. In the first half, Gobert rattled off 16 points on just eight shots to go along with 10 rebounds. Posting a double-double in just 19 minutes, the seven-footer wasn’t content there.
The Frenchman carried over his dominance into half two and concluded the contest with 24 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Throwing down vicious put-back dunks and ferocious lob jams, the Wolves might have turned a corner in utilizing Gobert’s offensive activity.
While mostly known for what he does on defense, his impact on the offensive end is undeniable. One of the best screen setters of this generation, Gobert prides himself in freeing up his teammates. He doesn’t just stop there though. A tremendous roll man, the 7-foot-1 big man leverages his size at an elite level. Rolling hard downhill, Gobert punishes defenses who don’t put a body on him early as a back-side rim threat.
Maximizing Gobert offensively can drastically change what this Timberwolves offense looks like
Edwards + Gobert lob combinations are about 33% of the battle imo pic.twitter.com/pSWZf1KDJP
— Sheldon Wohlman (@3swohlman) January 13, 2024
In the above example, Gobert gets Anthony Edwards downhill into open space. Edwards' dribble drive occupies Duop Reath, Gobert’s defender, just enough to free up room for the above the rim lob dunk.
Proper utilization of Gobert will be essential for Minnesota as this season goes on. Not only does his offensive rebounding present problems for smaller teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks, but his size and screen setting can be pivotal in matching up with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and reigning champion Denver Nuggets. Oftentimes overlooked and misunderstood, Gobert’s play on both ends is at the heart of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ top seeding in the Western Conference.
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