The Timberwolves are embracing bully-ball

In a league that has thoroughly adopted the value of spacing and shooting, the Minnesota Timberwolves have gone in an entirely separate direction. Will their brand new roster and style fit into today’s NBA?

It has been stated many times that the Timberwolves roster is in dire need of shooting. With each passing acquisition, this need has yet to be satisfied. The recent signing of Shabazz Muhammad only amplifies this necessary team attribute.

However, the re-acquiring of Muhammad gives the Timberwolves roster something that not a lot of other teams can match, and that is the featuring of three physical swingmen who have the ability to dominate smaller wings. With Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler and Muhammad all likely to be on the court together in some combination for large portions of games this season, teams will have their hands full in trying to match up with this new-look roster.

Comparing to the competition:

With the officiating of NBA games now making perimeter defense nearly impossible to skillfully execute, teams around the league have evolved their schemes to emphasize 3-point shooting and high pick-and-rolls. Coaches such as Mike D’Antoni of the Houston Rockets and Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors have molded their systems take full advantage of how the league has changed.

Constant shooters spaced around the three-point line and a stark absence of mid-range shots is common when watching these two teams play. Even the Boston Celtics, who are not known for having a plethora of sharp shooters, have implemented this strategy to a moderate degree of success. Three points are more than two, layups are more efficient than mid-range shots, and foul calls are much more frequent on the perimeter. These facts allow for increased offensive efficiency for teams who take advantage of the NBA rules and evolution of the game.

The Timberwolves seem to have no interest in joining the party of this evolution. They have collected an amazingly average group of shooters to deploy next season, acquiring perimeter players like Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford. These players are by no means subpar shooters, it’s just the consistency and volume they provide will not be enough to boost a team that ranked 30^th in makes and 20^th in percentage last year.

Where will the Wolves advantage be?

You know that one pick-up basketball team that never seems to hit jump shots and plays sort of ugly basketball? It usually consists of some old guys who played in college who are stronger than their opponents and still have pretty good skill. Mostly, they win by bullying the teams they play with post-ups, offensive rebounds, and getting to the rim. Oh, and they have a couple of really good young guys who carry the scoring load.

Well, this year’s Minnesota Timberwolves are, in many ways, that team.

This isn’t to say that these Wolves don’t have the talent to match up with the upper echelon of the NBA. With players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler, their roster can match up with the star power of almost anyone. Throw in Andrew Wiggins and Jeff Teague, and they will likely be very enjoyable to watch.

But if you are a fan of free flowing basketball where an avalanche of three-balls and constant floor spacing is common, this team is likely not for you.

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Identifying mismatches and exploiting size advantages will likely be the strengths of the 2017-18 Timberwolves. Both Butler and Wiggins have shown an affinity for doing exactly that over the course of their respective careers. Muhammad, to a lesser extent, has proven his ability to execute in similar situations. His lefty jump hook, along with his outstanding relentlessness on the offensive glass, has given him the reputation as persistent and relatively efficient offensive player.

Now add in Karl-Anthony Towns, who has shown to be one of the most adept players in the league in post-up and offensive rebounding situations, and the Timberwolves have a team that will likely try and bully opponents on a nightly basis.

Will it work?

Tom Thibodeau’s time with the Chicago Bulls was marked with a reputation of being a hard-nosed, gritty, and rugged. His teams played great defense, which sparked enough offensive firepower to muster up respectable win totals on a yearly basis. Those Bulls teams weren’t offensive juggernauts when it came to shooting or spacing, but they were able to rely upon their size and strength to outwork and grind down opponents.

They also had strong veteran leadership and defensive know-how to stifle other team’s offensive attacks.

Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden seemed to take this into account as they constructed this season’s roster. Whether it was by choice or necessity, their acquisitions brought the Timberwolves roster to a place that is comparable to Thibodeau’s Bulls teams. They’ll likely depend on their star players to pull out wins on the offensive end, and an assumed progression on the defensive side of the court should prevent consistent team-wide collapses that were far too common last year.

It might not always be pretty. There will be plenty of barreling into clogged driving lanes and contested mid-range shots. There will also be a healthy amount of low-scoring and grind-it-out games. But there will also be plenty of highlight reel plays, effective bully ball, and most importantly, an increased number of victories.

Next: Timberwolves Podcast: Shabazz Muhammad Is Back

And the enjoyment I got out of typing that last sentence greatly outdid the boredom of the three that came before it. That’s all that really matters.