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Timberwolves Wrap: Offense impressive in win over Lakers

Ben Beecken|
ANAHEIM, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: The Minnesota Timberwolves huddle before the preseason game on September 30, 2017 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: The Minnesota Timberwolves huddle before the preseason game on September 30, 2017 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Timberwolves opened preseason with an offense already seemingly clicking on all cylinders in an easy win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Anaheim.

The three-game preseason slate opened for the Timberwolves on Friday night in Anaheim after a week of practices in San Diego, and Minnesota’s offense performed as advertised.

As expected, the Timberwolves started three newcomers alongside Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, with Gorgui Dieng the first sub off the bench. The Wolves jumped out to a quick lead early on, relying on Jeff Teague and Jimmy Butler as they took turns handling the ball in the pick-and-roll. Taj Gibson was featured a surprising amount as the roll-man, touching the ball frequently and even hitting a pair of corner 3-pointers early in the game.

Butler played the entire first quarter, tallying 10 points on six shots while adding three rebounds and two assists. He stayed on the bench for the rest of the game and was the only starter that did not re-enter the contest.

The Lakers came back to tie the game as the first quarter came to a close, but the second quarter was largely dominated by the Timberwolves, led by Shabazz Muhammad. To no one’s surprise, Bazz scored a few buckets in a row from the low block on the left side of the floor, and showed exactly why Tom Thibodeau and the Wolves made such an impassioned pitch to keep the fifth-year forward.

The Timberwolves held a nine-point lead at halftime before distancing themselves by as many as 19 points in the third quarter. As mentioned, Butler never re-entered the game as Muhammad played minutes along with the starters in his place. Wiggins was more aggressive in the second half, and Karl-Anthony Towns followed up a quiet first half with a dominant stretch early in the third quarter that included a pair of threes and a pair of monstrous blocks in the lane.

The Lakers pulled back to within single digits a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but the Wolves bench players outplayed the Lakers reserves down the stretch to preserve a comfortable lead and ultimately, the victory.

Tweet of the Night

This happened as Ennis sprinted down the court on a breakaway and Wolves point guard Aaron Brooks gave him the slightest of tugs on his jersey to try and slow him down. Not exactly what Nike was hoping would happen tonight.

Key Takeaways

  • Neither backup point guard made a compelling argument for winning the job. In the first half, Tyus Jones struggled on both ends of the floor, scoring just two points on 0-for1 from the floor with two turnovers and one assist in eight minutes. In the second half Aaron Brooks was 1-for-6 from the field and 0-for-3 from beyond the arc and scored just four points in 16 minutes. He did have three assists while turning the ball over a single time.
  • As mentioned, Muhammad was awesome. He was active in the fast break and solid in the half court. Exactly what the Wolves need from their top backup wing player.
  • Having Butler and Wiggins on the court together will be a lot of fun, provided they can both shoot around league-average from beyond the arc and can hold defenses honest.
  • Taj Gibson shot two 3-pointers…and made them both. Don’t expect too much more of that this season — he was 3-for-13 on threes last year and is 4-for-35 (11.4 percent) for his career.
  • Jamal Crawford attempted exactly one shot in 28 minutes…that has to be a career-low in shot attempts, right? Even though this game didn’t count, it’s still a remarkable stat that nobody would have expected.
  • Another game, another pair of opposing announcers who are simply floored with Gorgui Dieng’s mid-range shooting ability and scoring touch on the pick-and-roll. Amazing.

Player of the Game

Shabazz Muhammad: 22 points (7-12 FG, 0-2 3P, 8-10 FT), 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover

Muhammad was fantastic, especially in the second quarter and for a brief stretch early in the final frame. He won’t play this much on a nightly basis in the regular season, but this is exactly the type of performance that the Wolves will need on nights that Wiggins or Butler might be in foul trouble.

Notable Box Score Lines

  • Gorgui Dieng: 14 points (7-12 FG), 12 rebounds, 2 turnovers
  • Karl-Anthony Towns: 15 points (4-9 FG, 3-3 3P, 4-4 FT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
  • Taj Gibson: 18 points (6-12 FG, 2-2 3P, 4-6 FT), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover
  • Jeff Teague: 11 points (5-13 FG, 1-4 3P), 9 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
  • Andrew Wiggins: 9 points (3-12 FG, 0-2 3P, 3-5 FT), 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 assist, 3 turnovers

Next: Best and Worst-Case Scenarios: Jamal Crawford

Next Up

The Timberwolves are headed to China for a tour that will see them take on the reigning champion Golden State Warriors twice. The first game overseas will be next Wednesday night, although it will technically be Thursday, October 5th at 1:00 a.m. Central Time.

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