3 secret weapons the Timberwolves have for the NBA Playoffs

Defensive prowess

The issues with the Minnesota Timberwolves over the course of the 2022-23 season have largely been about offense, not defense. The Wolves head into the final day of the regular season with a top 10 defensive rating of 113.2.

Minnesota achieved this level of team defense by upgrading their defensive personnel not just last summer, but during the current season at the trade deadline as well. Of course adding Rudy Gobert provided a new level of rim protection and a strong defensive anchor to the Wolves’ scheme, but the likes of Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have been positives on that end as well.

Looking at the Timberwolves’ roster as a whole, they are absolutely loaded with capable defenders all over the floor. Jaden McDaniels is an all-defense candidate and hangs his hat on ruining the nights of opposing star players. Anthony Edwards has made some noteworthy strides in that department as well.

All this will bode extremely well for the Timberwolves’ chances in a playoff environment. As anyone who watches the NBA Playoffs is aware, the game tends to slow down and points grow harder to come by when the calendar hits April. Minnesota may be able to surprise some teams with how hard they have made it to score on them.