The Timberwolves are consistently inconsistent

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been nothing if not inconsistent during their last nine games…

After rattling off five wins in a row following back-to-back losses, the Minnesota Timberwolves have hit a bump in the road. Just when all looked great in Minnesota, the team’s Achilles heel came back to bite them in their last two games against the Warriors and the Suns. The defense surrendered 125 points to the Warriors then 118 to the Suns, both losses.

However, with a 7-5 record and a five-game winning streak already under their belt, the Wolves should feel fine so far. They just can’t feel relaxed or happy.

For instance, they are 2-0 against the Thunder this year already. Although the Thunder is struggling they still have a big three and it shows the Wolves can compete with some of the best players in the league. On the other hand, they have looked lackadaisical at times as they seem to have been getting too relaxed when ahead.

Consistency is key. There needs to be 48 minutes of consistent basketball in order to be considered a top team in the West. It is hard to play all 48 minutes of every game consistent, that can’t be expected. However, what should be expected is the team playing as close to 48 minutes of consistent basketball as they can, game in and game out.

They were their most consistent during their first five-game winning streak since January 2009. Although they gave up 116 points in the first win of the streak against the Thunder then 122 in an overtime win against the Heat for the second win, the defense found their groove. In their final three games of the winning streak, the Wolves allowed 98 to the Pelicans, 99 to the Mavericks and 94 to the Hornets.

Then a matchup with the defending champions happened.

Before the second half started against the Warriors the Wolves were playing a competitive game. They entered the third quarter down by one point before they gave up 44 points in the third. That was followed by 30 more in the fourth by the Warriors to help seal their win.

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?

Against the Suns the Wolves had flashbacks to last season. They gave up 33 points in the fourth quarter which helped pave the way for the Suns to take control and win. It wasn’t any better that Devin Booker and T.J. Warren scored 35 points apiece.

This loops back to overall consistency and the teams issues on defense. There’s no question the Wolves offense has been producing. They have scored less than 100 points just once this season. Also, they rank 12th in field goal percentage, ninth in points per game, seventh in free throw percentage and sixth in offensive rebounds per game.

However, they aren’t perfect in that department. They are still having trouble shooting the deep ball as they are 18th in the league shooting 35.4 percent.

The bench has also had a hard time bringing consistent scoring to the table so far. They’re 24th in the league averaging 30 points per game on 45 percent shooting, good enough for 14th. Ironically the bench ranks fourth in the league in 3-point percentage. They have shot 40 percent from behind the arc so far this season as a unit.

Even with a top offense the Wolves can’t and won’t be taken seriously without defensive improvement. At this point, it sounds like a broken record, but its true.

The Wolves are 27th in the league with a 108.9 defensive rating. They also rank 27th in defensive rebounds per game as they are averaging 31.8. They rank 26th in points in the paint allowed as their opponents average 49 per game against them. None of the above will make anyone think they are serious contenders. The same old saying is true- offense wins games, defense wins championships.

What they have done well so far on defense has been forcing turnovers. They are fourth in the league averaging nine steals per game. In fact,17 percent of their points have come off turnovers.

They are also 10th in the league allowing 11 second-chance points per game. Those two stats show some hope in terms of the team’s defensive production picking up over the course of the season. Steals show aggressiveness and how that aggressiveness has been leading to more points. Not allowing many second-chance points is vital for obvious reasons. The fewer opportunities you give your opponent to score the better off you are.

Related Story: Early Timberwolves analysis: So far, so good for the bench

The other big blemish the team has is their plus/minus. They rank 22nd in the league with a -3 plus/minus which clearly won’t cut it if the Wolves hope for a top-three seed. The other four big contenders out west (Warriors, Rockets, Thunder and Spurs) all rank within the top 10 in plus/minus.

Bottom line is that the Wolves have yet to fully fix their defensive struggles. At times they play good defense with the basic tangibles. Everyone is talking, moving to the correct spots, fighting over screens with a purpose and flat-out giving 100 percent effort. Other times they are lackadaisical and look like deer in headlights.

Next: Karl-Anthony towns is the leader of the new breeds of center

That can’t be this case if they expect to make the playoffs and make a run. They have the guys who can and will put up points, there are too many scorers to think otherwise. Yes, they are only 12 games through the season. However, they need to focus on defense now more than ever in order to find consistency throughout the rest of the season. Sooner is always better than later.