Minnesota Timberwolves: The Robert Covington Effect

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been a good defensive team since acquiring Robert Covington from Philadelphia. Coincidence? Not exactly.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been a bad defensive team for the vast majority of Tom Thibodeau’s two-plus seasons at the helm. In fact, save for a modest mid-season stretch last year, they’ve been downright terrible.

This year wasn’t much different, holding exactly one opponent below 110 points in the first 14 games of the season.

Enter Robert Covington and Dario Saric.

Since the two former Philadelphia 76ers entered the rotation on Nov. 14 against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Wolves have held six consecutive opponents to 103 points or less. And it’s no accident.

Covington made the All-Defensive team a year ago for a reason. Sure, the steals numbers are gaudy — Covington was sixth in the NBA in that category a year ago — but it’s simply the activity, want-to and overall knowledge of positioning and spacing that is so impressive, and unlike anything Wolves fans are used to seeing from a wing defender.

(We’d be remiss to not mention that Butler was many of the things that Covington appears to be defensively, and was probably even a little bit of a better on-ball defender. But Covington’s off-ball activity rivals Butler’s and may even be superior.)

Case in point, check out this Zach LaVine turnover from Saturday’s win over the Bulls.

Covington didn’t get the steal. In fact, he didn’t even touch the ball. But his mere presence and the precision in his positioning created a difficult angle for LaVine, who had trapped himself along the baseline.

If Covington is a hair closer to the middle of the floor or too far underneath the basket, LaVine has a wide-open passing lane. It’s also important to note that Covington did sag far enough to the baseline to deter LaVine from trying to score.

Later in the game, Covington does manage to grab a steal in the open floor. Here, he’s playing the fastbreak like a safety, aware of the rim-running Jabari Parker lumbering down the floor to establish position.

Covington plays it perfectly, able to intercept a poor pass and start a fastbreak the other way for the Wolves.

This last clip is perhaps the most impressive, as it is a similar play to one that Wolves fans have seen unfold many times in very different ways.

Yes, Covington ends up with the steal here. But it’s his timing and technique that are notable.

Covington is guarding Justin Holiday on the perimeter and sees the pass come from the other wing to Robin Lopez in the paint.

Rather than fleeing immediately to try to deflect the pass and potentially slap down on the hand or arm of Lopez, Covington drops suddenly and waits for Lopez to turn and put the ball on the floor. Then, RoCo is able to dig for the ball and get the steal.

Too often, Wolves defenders have either not recognized this opportunity for a steal or not positioned themselves in the proper spot to defend without fouling.

We’ve talked at length in this space about Covington’s defensive accolades (he was the top small forward in ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus last season, was No. 5 two years ago, and sits fourth so far in 2018-19), but there is plenty of film to back it up. Keep in mind, the above three clips were all from one game, and there were other plays to choose from.

A rising tide lifts all ships, and the presence of the new Wolves players, and Covington especially, has spurred improved defense across the board.

The Wolves are suddenly No. 22 in the league in defensive rating; they were No. 27 last year — as a 47-win team with Jimmy Butler in the fold.

While it’s too early to anoint the Wolves as a defensive juggernaut, holding six straight opponents under 103 points in the year 2018 is significant.

It will be fascinating to watch the development of Minnesota’s defense moving forward, too. With a league-average defense and an improving offense (read: more 3-point shot attempts), this very well could be a playoff team again come spring.