How do you grade these 8 Timberwolves players as preseason winds down?

Standout: SF Kyle Anderson

The Minnesota Timberwolves coaching staff seems to rely on veteran forward Kyle Anderson in so many ways, and yet he typically exceeds expectations. That continues to be the case as he has morphed from a starting power forward and point forward throughout the 2022-23 NBA season, to a new plug-and-play role at almost any position this season.

The trouble with grading an amoeba-like performance of forward Kyle Anderson on the Timberwolves roster is the necessity to pause and try to comprehend exactly which of the Timberwolves’ many roles Slo-Mo was tasked with filling. Against the New York Knicks, Anderson was directed to defend and facilitate.

By the end of the game, Kyle Anderson played 22 minutes but had only scored six points. That did not tell the tale of that game, as Anderson had hauled in three rebounds and dished out eight crucial assists.  Those assists kept the flow of the game going in the Timberwolves’ favor.

One of the hopes for Kyle Anderson entering the 2023-24 NBA season was that with a nadir of injuries and a more predictable rotation, Slo-Mo might be able to specialize in a few roles for the Timberwolves this season. But it appears that the opposite may prove to be true. He will serve as the mortar that Timberwolves Coach Chris Finch will use on any given night to shore up weaknesses that appear during the game.

Thankfully, he very much appears to be up to the task.

Preseason Game 3 grade: B