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The Minnesota Timberwolves should take more threes

By Brian Sampson

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 27: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on January 27, 2018 at 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 27: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on January 27, 2018 at 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Minnesota Timberwolves are ranked near the bottom in the NBA in the number of three-pointers they take and make. And that’s a problem.

If it wasn’t for watching opposing teams jack up three-pointers, the Minnesota Timberwolves probably wouldn’t even know the line existed. The way they thoroughly ignore shots from the outside should be a criminal offense.

So far this season, the Timberwolves only take 22.2 three-point attempts per game which is tied for dead last in the NBA with the New York Knicks.  When it comes to making those outside shots, Minnesota is only slightly better given that they rank 29th in the league with 7.9 made three’s a game (0.1 ahead of the Knicks).

That was never more apparent than against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. Minnesota jumped out to a 13-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but ended up trailing by four points at the half. It was a close game throughout with Minnesota only trailing by four points after a Karl-Anthony Towns layup with 7:54 left to go in the game.

Houston immediately called a timeout and began their three-point barrage shortly thereafter.

Ryan Anderson hit back to back threes right away, which ballooned the lead to 10 points at 101-91. P.J. Tucker and James Harden then hit two more threes to bring the lead all the way up to 16 points with 5:47 left. That’s an incredible 12-0 run in 2:07 of gameplay.

After Tom Thibodeau’s timeout, Minnesota failed to score, but also got a stop on defense. Towns then hit a turnaround hook shot, followed by two Butler free throws on their next trip down. Unfortunately, that only brought them four points closer (107-95) and the lead seemed insurmountable considering Minnesota continued to trade twos for threes the rest of the game.

All in all, Houston nearly made as many shots (22) from downtown as the Timberwolves attempted (23).

It’s not as if Minnesota can’t connect from the outside, as they are tied for 17th in the NBA by connecting on 35.8 percent of their shots. Their problem is the lack of willingness to take those shots.

They have four guys on their roster who take between three and four outside shots a game, but nobody who takes more than 4.2 (Andrew Wiggins leads the team with 4.2 threes per game, yet is only shooting 31.6 percent).

Towns (42.5 percent), Jamal Crawford (34.1), Jimmy Butler (37.2), and Jeff Teague (37.1) all shoot at least a respectable percentage from downtown and should take more threes. Their percentages would naturally decrease should they take more outside shots, but that’s a necessary evil of the game. I mean, shooting 33.3 percent on a three is the same as shooting 50 percent from inside the arc.

Next: Justin Patton found his footing in the G-League

Until Minnesota embraces the power of the three-point line, their ceiling might be capped at the second round of the playoffs.

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