No fix for Timberwolves fan frustrations for some time
By Bret Stuter
What about Timberwolves lineups?
Part of the Timberwolves roster challenge is that the starting five have almost no history playing together, and that has compelled Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch to allow the starting five, even when nothing seems to be going right, to remain in the game longer than you might expect. But that has come at an expense to the Timberwolves’ success this season.
Per NBA.com stats for lineups, the Timberwolves starting five have a net rating of (-5.3). Replacing Anthony Edwards with Bryan Forbes has a net rating of (-18.3). Finally, swapping out Rudy Gobert with Jaylen Nowell results in a net rating of (-16.1).
Many pundits and fans are already marching on Castle Timberwolves and laying the struggles of this team at the feet of PG D’Angelo Russell. While he has not shown that he is not responsible for the challenges of this team, he is by no means THE reason this team is struggling.
More problems than just PG on Timberwolves right now
Using the same NBA.com stats for lineups website, the Top-5 four-player rotations in terms of minutes played have all shown a negative net rating, including the four-player lineup that excludes D’Angelo Russell (net rating -3.0).
Ultimately, the Timberwolves field general for this temporarily-dysfunctional roster is going to struggle to weave a cohesive unit on the basketball court early in the season. And since D’Angelo Russell is the starting point guard for the Timberwolves, he is viewed as responsible for the mishaps, miscommunications, and missed opportunities.
I’m not washing D’Angelo Russell’s hands on this. He has struggled in his leadership role so far. But even when he makes pinpoint passes, even sure-handed center Rudy Gobert has lapsed, negating a sure-fire assist, and instead being scored as a turnover on Russell. But after reviewing those plays, the fault lies in the unfamiliarity of new teammates. In my mind, the Timberwolves will likely try to improve those lapses, rather than replace any players, particularly after just eight games of the season.