Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 top lineup combinations

The frontcourt pairing of Hernangomez and Towns makes all the sense in the world on offense.

Both can score from outside, move the ball nicely, and be active when they do not have the ball. They help space the floor which creates a lot of space to move freely for everyone else on the floor.

The surprising part is that this lineup still has a strong DRTG with two big men who have struggled on defense their whole career. Despite this, this lineup allowed an eFG% of just 40 percent (100th percentile) and forced a turnover 14.7 percent of the time (58th percentile).

This lineup’s athleticism and ability to switch allow them to contest nearly every shot. Opponents only shot 50 percent at the rim (99th percentile) and 25 percent from three (100th percentile). Even though this lineup does not have the best defenders on paper, they are still able to take away the opponent’s two most efficient shots.

Going forward, this is a lineup we can expect to see a lot — pending the re-signing of restricted free agents Beasley and Hernangomez, of course. Their offensive skillset of shooting and running in transition is exactly what this organization is looking for. While I expect some regression with the defensive numbers as the sample size grows, I think their athleticism, improved chemistry, and versatility will still prove to be troublesome for opponents.

The next lineup to look at is what could easily be the Timberwolves’ starting lineup at the beginning of next season. It is the exact same as the previous, but D’Angelo Russell is the point guard instead of McLaughlin.

Let’s dive into that potential grouping next.