Three things Austin Rivers brings to the Timberwolves
By Will Eudy
Underrated Defense
Coming into the league, Austin Rivers was certainly never known for his defense. He was a flashy, bouncy guard with a quick first step and solid jumper. But in the later stages of his career, Rivers has gained a lot of ground on that end of the floor, to the point where it’s actually one of his bigger strengths.
He likely won’t be making any All-Defense teams in Minnesota, but he’ll be one of the better stoppers the Wolves have on the roster right away. In fact, it’s a shame Patrick Beverley couldn’t stick around for one more season to form what would’ve been one of the better defensive backcourt lineups in the NBA.
Last year, Rivers served as one of the Nuggets’ best on-ball defenders throughout large stretches of the season. His greatest moment came in game four of their first-round playoff series with the Golden State Warriors. In the final 30 seconds of the game, Rivers tipped away a Warriors inbound pass on a possession where Golden State could’ve tied or taken the lead. He has what it takes to get stops when it matters most.