The Minnesota Timberwolves had a rough outing in their first game of the 2023-24 regular season on Wednesday, falling to the Raptors 97-94. The contest marked the Wolves’ 19th straight loss to the Raps in Toronto.
It was far from a dismal performance from Minnesota, as the Wolves led for a large part of the game and continued giving themselves chances to turn things around. However, there are certainly still some key areas the team will be looking to clean up after the loss.
A few players in the Timberwolves’ locker room saw subpar performances that ultimately contributed to this 0-1 start. It is safe to say these guys will need to turn things around if they are to fill the roles laid out for them on this team.
3 Timberwolves who were major letdowns in loss to Raptors
1. Troy Brown Jr.
One of the new arrivals in Minnesota during the offseason, Troy Brown Jr. was a huge disappointment in the opening night loss. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that he only saw the floor for a measly five minutes, far below the 18 minutes he saw on average in preseason.
But in the five minutes Brown did see the floor, he was basically doing cardio. The six-year veteran accrued one rebound and did not attempt a shot from the floor.
This trend has to reverse if the Timberwolves are to get what they need out of Brown. There were times in preseason where he looked like an upgrade over the departed Taurean Prince, and that version of him is sorely missed right now.