The Timberwolves need to start launching more 3-pointers

The Minnesota Timberwolves took a step in the right direction this season but still rank dead-last in 3-pointers attempted and made in the regular season.

With the Timberwolves down 0-2 in a first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets, the team with the most 3-pointers made and attempted, the issues appear even more glaring for the Wolves.

While Minnesota finished the regular season averaging the eighth-highest point total in the NBA despite their lack of 3-pointers, some might reason that threes don’t need to be a part of the Wolves’ offensive attack.

Houston, Boston, Cleveland, Toronto and Golden State have all been dominant teams in the NBA this season, and each of them finished top-eight in 3-pointers made. A lift for the Wolves could see an even better offensive side, and might leave the Wolves in a better place than the eighth seed in the West come playoff time next spring.

The Houston Rockets have won the first two games in their playoff series against the Wolves, and despite it not playing a big part of their first victory, 3-point shooting is, of course, one of their specialties.

If the Wolves improved their 3-point shooting, I truly believe this team could have a shot at beating the Rockets in this series, or at least snatching a couple of games.

Throughout the regular season, the Timberwolves’ leader in 3-point attempts per game was Andrew Wiggins at 4.1. For perspective, the Rockets have six players averaging five or more attempts each game. (And don’t forget that Wiggins shot just 33.1 percent from beyond the arc this season.)

The Timberwolves’ leader in made 3-pointers per game is Karl-Anthony Towns, with a measly 1.5 coming on 3.5 attempts per contest. The Rockets again have six players higher than this, and a seventh just 0.1 makes behind.

When we look at 3-point percentage, the Wolves and Rockets are both led by players that didn’t play most of the season: Anthony Brown leads the Wolves, as he made his only attempt in his one appearance this season (but seriously, why didn’t he get a look this season?), while Briante Webber shot 44.4 percent for Houston in 13 games this season, averaging just nine minutes and less than two attempts per appearance.

If we take both of these players out of the running, Houston fails to have a player shooting above 40 percent, while Minnesota has two above that mark.

As previously mentioned, Towns made 1.5 of his 3.5 attempts a game for a mark of 42.1 percent, while Nemanja Bjelica, who is a free agent at the end of this season, made 41.5 percent of his attempts.

And who could forget the 3-point buzzer-beater from Andrew Wiggins during the first week of the season that provided one of the season highlights for the Wolves.

If we ignore those two players previously omitted, the Timberwolves also manage to have nine players shooting above 30 percent from three, to Houston’s eight.

So, why is Houston such a dominant 3-point shooting team and the Wolves are the exact opposite?

Tom Thibodeau’s game plan seemingly doesn’t include these long shots, despite Wiggins and Jamal Crawford putting up shots from anywhere they please inside the line. In the offseason, Thibodeau needs to work on reviewing his team’s shot selection.

So far in the playoffs, the Timberwolves sit second-to-last in 3-pointers made and attempted, and their 3-point percentage has them sitting 13th. Houston’s percentage is actually worse, with them ranking second-to-last, however the sheer volume of their 3-pointers made has them sitting second, and they rank first in attempts.

While some would argue that having a better 3-point percentage means the Wolves are taking smarter shots, the Rockets have outscored Minnesota by a 206-183 margin through two games, and manage to have the exact same field goal percentage as the Timberwolves despite their 3-pointers falling less consistently.

The Rockets have also committed 10 fewer turnovers, eight more blocks, six more steals and the same amount of offensive rebounds as us despite the Wolves leading the playoffs in total rebounds.

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The Rockets have dominated the Wolves on both ends of the floor during the first two games. If the Timberwolves can’t keep up with the Rockets’ scoring, it could very quickly turn into a sweep. Making 3-pointers is one way the Wolves can go about keeping up.