Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 Issues that need to be addressed
By Reed Redmond
2. 3-point Shooting
There are so many other options. Let’s find them.
The Wolves have one of the most talented centers in the league in Karl-Anthony Towns, as well as two of the league’s best slashers in Andrew Wiggins and Jimmy Butler. The Timberwolves should not be a ‘live by the 3, die by the 3’ sort of team. But somehow, that’s where they’ve found themselves early in the season.
In wins, the Timberwolves have shot 40.9 percent from beyond the arc, ranking seventh in the league. In losses, the Wolves have shot 28.6 percent from three, ranking 29th in the league. Regardless of the outcome, the Wolves average the exact same number of 3-point attempts per game. That is a problem.
Whether it’s working or not, the Wolves have a tendency to keep shooting the 3.
The pick-and-roll has been a staple of the Wolves’ offense this year, but it’s only effective when the defense is forced to respect the Wolves’ perimeter shooting. This approach isn’t always going to be reliable without a 3-point specialist in the starting lineup.
If guys like Andrew Wiggins and Jeff Teague can hit a couple early 3-pointers in a game, the high pick-and-roll will start to open up opportunities inside. But if the Wolves aren’t making shots, opponents will be more than happy to collapse on the pick-and-roll and keep forcing outside shots.
If shots aren’t dropping, the Wolves need to be more active on offense in order to create better opportunities in the paint.