Minnesota Timberwolves: Bright spots in Summer League opener

The Minnesota Timberwolves opened Las Vegas Summer League with a close loss to Denver behind up-and-down performances from their marquee rookies.

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ summer squad is headlined by No. 20 pick Josh Okogie and second-rounder Keita Bates-Diop, last year’s Big Ten Player of the Year at Ohio State. On Friday night in Las Vegas, it was clear that there will need to be plenty of adjustments to the pro game for both of the rookies in a 70-69 loss to Denver in the Wolves’ summer opener.

That said, whew … there was some defense played by the newcomers.

Okogie played a team-high 33 (out of 40 possible) minutes, and Bates-Diop was second with 31. While the offensive issues were abundant, each had outstanding moments defensively, which was a welcome sight for a team that struggled mightily on that end of the floor in 2017-18.

The jitters were apparent on offense, with Okogie in particular treating the ball like a hot potato and launching plenty of contested shots, in addition to the Nuggets defenders taking advantage of what appeared to be a fairly loose handle. Still, the first-rounder managed to put up a decent line of 10 points (2-10 FG, 1-5 3P, 5-8 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals, although he did turn the ball over five times.

On defense, however, Okogie was a monster.

This was the prototypical “don’t let your rough shooting night affect you on the other end of the floor” night. Okogie was obviously going a mile a minute on offense and did not make sound decisions, but showed his promise as a lockdown defender and do-it-all player from the season’s first tip-off.

Keita Bates-Diop was solid, appearing much smoother and more comfortable on offense, although his shooting night was just as bad: nine points on 3-of-11, including 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. He did add seven rebounds, one steal, and one block. While he made less “wow” plays on defense, he had a good night on that end of the floor as well.

Other notables:

• Isaiah Cousins, who is in his second year removed from playing at the University of Oklahoma alongside Buddy Hield, put up an efficient 15 points (7-12 FG, 1-3 3P) and chipped in three assists, one steal, and one rebound. He reminded a bit of Sean Kilpatrick, a short, bulldog-like guard with the ability to get to the rim almost at will, although he shot north of 40 percent from 3-point range last year in the G-League, so there could be more there.
• Amile Jefferson, who averaged an easy double-double for the Iowa Wolves last year, put up 12 points (6-10 FG, 0-4 FT) and 14 rebounds, doing a good job scoring around the rim and cleaning up his teammates’ messes, tallying six offensive boards.
• Andrew White, who played in a handful of games for the Hawks last year, started but only played eight minutes and never attempted a shot.

Nobody else really stood out for positive reasons. Charles Cooke was far more impressive than he was last year in summer league play, although his line of four points, four rebounds, and one steal in 15 minutes isn’t exactly eye-catching. He had a strong stretch towards the end of the first half, however, and with his length and shooting potential, he’s still someone to keep an eye on.

Overall, the team shot just 5-of-29 (17.2 percent) on 3-point attempts and trailed by double-digits for much of the game before a late run pulled the final score to within one point. It was keyed by energy and defense from Okogie, among others, and more controlled offensive play than what the Wolves exhibited throughout the first three quarters.

Next: Wolves Roundup: Jimmy Butler, Bjelica, and Towns Sr.

The Timberwolves will take on the Toronto Raptors at 2 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, again on NBA TV.