Minnesota Timberwolves boast “Best rim protector(s) walking around on the planet”

The Minnesota Timberwolves were undeniably shopping for an upgrade on defense this offseason. But if you look at the Timberwolves roster as is, October 1, 2022, there is more to this defense than just plopping All-Star center Rudy Gobert into it.  The Timberwolves already had a young and promising defensive-centric center named Naz Reid.

But 6-foot-9, 250-pound Nazreon Reid was playing in his third NBA season for the Minnesota Timberwolves and just his first NBA Playoffs series. The outcome from that debut in high-pressure NBA competition did not work out as well as Naz Reid had hoped.

Grizzlies got the best of an inexperienced Timberwolves team

It was always going to be a tough series for the Timberwolves, as the team was forced to rely too heavily on both the offense and defense of starting center Karl-Anthony Towns. The Grizzlies focused their attention on him, and KAT struggled with foul trouble at key stretches in the series.

That meant more playing time from Naz Reid, playing time that he was not yet prepared for.  But let’s take care not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Reid has significant defensive potential. Now that the Timberwolves have the best defensive center in the NBA on the roster, Reid’s development should turn more in a positive direction.

There is a lot to be said about getting defense from the bench. Timed correctly, the fresh player can change the momentum of the game. If the player is offensive oriented, the change can come from quick scores. If the player is defensive oriented, the change can come in slowing down the  opponent, creating turnover and fast breaks, and getting the team into a more comfortable pace for the game.