3 Takeaways from Timberwolves’ surprising loss to Spurs

3. The Minnesota Timberwolves lack heart and hustle

Basketball games aren’t played on paper. If we just awarded a championship to the most talented NBA roster every season, the history of the game would look quite different than it actually does.

What makes the game interesting is the fiery competition and intangibles that each player and team brings to the court. One of the biggest reasons Kobe Bryant is so revered among NBA fans is because of the unique and intense attitude he displayed every time he stepped onto the floor.

It’s these kind of traits that win championships. And so far, the Minnesota Timberwolves have shown very little of the heart and hustle that is becoming of a champion.

On Monday night, not only were they were beaten off the floor by the Spurs, but they failed to show that they took the beating personally. This is a bit surprising, but it makes sense when you consider the personnel changes that took place in Minnesota over the summer.

In the offseason, the Timberwolves lost two of the grittiest energy players the NBA has to offer in Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt. Their attitudes were infectious, and it was the X-factor that helped make the Timberwolves such a tough team to beat last year.

To reach their full potential this season, Minnesota will need to recapture some of that in-your-face energy and determination that the team brought to the floor in 2021-22.