Minnesota Timberwolves are getting the ball to C Rudy Gobert

Benefits of getting Gobert the ball

Gobert draws fouls after snagging offensive rebounds over the defense. He currently has a 14.4 offensive rebounding percentage according to basketball-reference. Opponents may foul Gobert due to frustration after the board or they may be competing, trying to get the rebound back. Either way, his presence on the court routinely puts other teams in foul trouble.

More fouls equal more opportunities to score. With the Timberwolves being a middle-of-the-pack offense at the moment, finding points from anywhere are necessary. Right now, after six games, the Timberwolves are the eighth-ranked scoring offense in the NBA with an average of 118.0 points per game. Surprisingly, that is better than the team’s top-ranked offensive output from a year ago, which averaged 115.9 points per game But what about that defense?

Solid numbers on the Timberwolves’ defense so far

It is certainly improving. The Timberwolves were the 24th-ranked NBA defense in the 2021-22 season, allowing 113.3 points per game. This season, the Timberwolves are allowing an average of 114.2 points per game.  So what does that all mean?

The points differential is improving. Last season, the Timberwolves’ average point margin of victory was +2.6 points per game. This season, that average point margin has already improved to +3.8 points per game.

Since we know that the Timberwolves have been stumbling a bit in the early part of the 2022-23 NBA season, this is pretty promising news. And even moreso with the evidence that the Timberwolves are making a concerted effort to get Rudy Gobert involved quickly.

The Timberwolves are getting Gobert the ball more than the Jazz ever did. This is something to keep our eyes on. Is this early-season experimentation or will Gobert finish with over 50 touches per game this season?