The Minnesota Timberwolves’ ugly preseason is finally over, although that certainly doesn’t mean that their issues have all gone away.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have finished up their preseason by suffering another loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, this time by a score of 143-121.
The Timberwolves lost four straight by at least 10 points or more to end their preseason with a 1-4 record. Controversy, mixed with a terrible preseason, means that things are not looking good for the Wolves going into the start of the regular season.
Karl-Anthony Towns was clearly frustrated after the loss on Thursday night in Milwaukee. From ESPN.com’s Chris Herring:
"We don’t got no more time to be here saying, ‘Aw, it’s OK; it’s preseason.’ This momentum we’re riding right now, this wave we’re riding, it’s not good. It’s not good at all."
This is not a surprise, of course, as the franchise has been surrounded with an incredible amount of drama this summer.
It all started when All-Star Jimmy Butler requested a trade after only playing 59 games for the team. Jimmy Butler was the best player on the team last season and the leader this young team needed. If the franchise gave up so much young talent for a 59 game rental, well, it would be flat-out embarrassing for any team.
The start of the season is only four days away for the Wolves and the team has two major problems: defense and drama. Timberwolves are allowing way too many points everywhere on the court, and especially on the 3-point line.
They have to step up their perimeter defense and cover the pick-and-roll better overall. Of course, KAT doesn’t have the reputation as a great defender and the Timberwolves will need him more than ever if they want to make the playoffs again.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau is either a genius or has lost the locker room entirely and will be out of a job by Thanksgiving.
Many reports have surfaced that trade talks between the Miami Heat’s Pat Riley and Thibs have gone south to point where Riley calls Thibs a two-word expletive that starts with an ‘M’ and a ‘F’. The Heat, for their part, have released a tweet saying that is not the case.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have so much talent on the team but is filled with drama and terrible contracts. Winning can solve all those problems, but the Timberwolves are in the stacked Western Conference. They have a tough schedule ahead of them, facing five playoff teams from last year in their first six games.
The Timberwolves will open the regular season on the road against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, Oct. 17. And so it begins.