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Minnesota Timberwolves game preview: Oct. 27 vs Oklahoma City Thunder

By Alex Monseth

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 24: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts to a call during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 24, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 24: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts to a call during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 24, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 24: Jeff Teague #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends against Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Indiana Pacers during the game on October 24, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 24: Jeff Teague #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends against Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Indiana Pacers during the game on October 24, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Key for Minnesota: Defense

According to ESPN.com, the Timberwolves are allowing 113.8 points per game to start the season — bottom-five in the league. They’re also allowing opponents to shoot 52.1 percent from the field this season, which worst in the league by a full 3 percent.

And yes, they look as bad as the numbers say they are defensively this season — especially in the last two games without star wing Jimmy Butler.

Butler should be returning Friday night, and the Timberwolves will definitely need him, as the Thunder pose a much more potent offensive attack than the Pistons or Pacers.

The effort was clearly lacking in both games this week. Our own Brian Sampson pointed this out in an article early.

The video shows a typical Timberwolves defensive possession. Particularly, it emphasizes Towns’ constant lapses defensively.  It seems like there’s almost a bubble around the offensive player that he’s afraid to break.

He has the physical tools and  the desire to improve, but we haven’t seen the confidence he possesses on the offensive end translate to the defensive side of the ball.

While this problem relates to Towns, the rest of the team needs a much greater level of confidence defensively if they’re going to defeat the Thunder again.

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