After 3 Qtrs, Timberwolves backups pushing for playing time

The Minnesota Timberwolves entered the preseason with a pretty good handle on who would be the starting five, and who would be heavily involved in their rotation.  But deep into their fourth preseason game, you have to wonder if the performance of the team’s backups has any say in how that rotation eventually plays out. Because if it does, the Timberwolves have a number of important decisions to make.

We know that the Timberwolves intend to start Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell. But how do you set up the rotation behind them?  Naz Reid is pushing hard to be the first player off the bench with 22 points and 13 rebounds with one quarter to go.

Jaylen Nowell is pushing hard as well, scoring 14 points off the bench in just 22 minutes. Kyle Anderson started in the fourth preseason game, and his nine points, six rebounds, five assists, and one steal give a little bit of everything.  Speaking of a little bit of everything, Bryn Forbes has delivered seven points and two rebounds off the bench but has done so with surgical precision by hitting two of three from three-point range.

The Timberwolves have to be pleased with the effort of their young players.  The LA Lakers entered this game with the intent to queue their starters for the NBA season. But it was the Minnesota Timberwolves who appeared to heat up quickly after spotting the Lakers a seven-point lead.

I was concerned about the slow start and the sluggish scoring from the Timberwolves immediately after the tip-off. But the Timberwolves found their overdrive in the second quarter and poured it on the reach halftime with an eight-point lead. There is still time remaining in this one, but I love what I’ve seen so far from the Timberwolves.

So far, the Minnesota Timberwolves are holding their own.

At the end of the Q3