The Minnesota Timberwolves finished last season with an offensive rating in the top half of the league, but has this offseason been enough to end their defensive struggles?
The Minnesota Timberwolves had the thirteenth-best rated offense last season, yet still managed to finish with the seventh-worst record. The defense was a big problem for the Wolves, who finished 26th in defensive rating for the year.
So has the Timberwolves’ enormous offseason accounted for these issues, enough to push them into a playoff spot?
The addition of Jimmy Butler is probably the Timberwolves strongest case. Butler was voted to the NBA All-Defensive second team from 2014-16, and this year made his first All-NBA list, being voted to the third team.
Butler has proved he is an elite player on both ends of the court, and the Timberwolves will certainly be hoping he brings both his offensive and defensive talents to every game he plays.
Taj Gibson, another offseason acquisition, has showcased defensive talent in the past. Although he’s yet to be awarded any NBA honors, Gibson was voted Pac-10 Defensive player of the year in his final year of college. Gibson’s defensive rating last year of 104.6 rated over 4-points better than the Timberwolves’.
Jamal Crawford‘s defensive rating comes in worse than both Butler’s and Gibson’s, however still rated better than the Timberwolves’. Jeff Teague rates almost 2-points better than Crawford’s, and over 3-points better than Ricky Rubio’s, whom he will be replacing on the court.
The improvement in Defensive rating should provide hope to Timberwolves’ fans, who are hoping for the end of a 13-year playoff drought. As I’ve already discussed, the Timberwolves’ offense has already improved this offseason, and it looks as though the defense is following.
More from Dunking with Wolves
- The dream starting 5 for Minnesota Timberwolves 5 years from now
- Anthony Edwards’ latest accolade is a great sign of things to come
- In an OT thriller, Team Canada snatches Bronze from Team USA
- Timberwolves start, bench, cut: Mike Conley, Shake Milton, Jordan McLaughlin
- Which Timberwolves roster additions have upgraded the bench?
The departure of Zach LaVine, and the hopeful improvement of Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, all players who have experienced defensive struggles, will hopefully boost the Timberwolves’ defense, whilst the new additions will both help in their own right and guide the still-developing young Wolves.
Tom Thibodeau is known as a defensive-minded coach, so the Timberwolves’ defensive struggles during his first year in Minnesota came as a surprise to some fans, although developing the young core may take some time.
For a two week stretch beginning at the end of February this year, the Timberwolves’ actually had the best defense in the league, as one of just two teams with a defensive rating under 100. Yet from the end of this period to the end of the regular season, a one-month stretch, the Timberwolves ranked dead last, and were over four points clear of second-last.
How is such a drastic change possible?
I’m as clueless as everyone else. But for now, all we can hope is that the Timberwolves are working on their defense as the number one priority this offseason, to lift their game into a true playoff contender.
No matter how great the Timberwolves’ offense may have become this offseason, without the defensive ability to back it up, the Timberwolves could be looking at a 14th straight year missing the playoffs.
They already had a great offense, and that has only improved this offseason. However, for a truly great basketball force to come from Minnesota this year, the defense needs to marginally improve.
Next: Minnesota Timberwolves: Predicting ever player's season
The smart offseason moves may have just steered the Timberwolves in the right direction, turning the Wolves into a threat on both ends of the court.