Heading into the season, it was clear that point guard play was going to be a problem for the Minnesota Timberwolves. As such, being able to take care of the ball was a specific area of concern for Wolves fans.
On the season, the Wolves rank 17th in the league for turnovers per game -- not too shabby. However, over the past five games, the Wolves have been averaging 18.2 turnovers, which ranks 27th in the league. A 20-turnover outing against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday set the alarm bells off.
While the Timberwolves overall haven't been committing a ton of turnovers, this problem has, in part, cost the team several close games. Notably, the Wolves rank 29th in clutch time turnovers. Undoubtedly, the Wolves need to take better care of the ball, or it will hurt them in the playoffs.
The Timberwolves' inability to take care of the ball is a clear problem
The Timberwolves' poor awareness is often the root cause of their turnovers. Most often, this involves lackadaisical passes or dribbling into defensive pressure. These careless live-ball turnovers often lead to easy points on the other end of the floor. Minnesota is playing at a faster pace this season, which is largely a positive, but it also makes them more susceptible to turnovers.
Frankly, everyone in the Wolves rotation can be turnover-prone at some point. Anthony Edwards was the main culprit on Sunday as he had seven turnovers. The Wolves' lack of a high-quality point guard is also a massive part of this problem.
Trade deadline addition Ayo Dosunmu is a combo guard rather than a pure PG. Bones Hyland is technically a point guard, but he is much more of a microwave scorer than a table setter. Then there's Mike Conley, who is a classic table setter, but with his decline as a scorer and creator, it's hard to justify playing him big minutes.
Regardless, the Wolves' collective decision-making has to be better, especially given their experience and lofty aspirations.
It's frustrating to see these turnover problems hurt the Timberwolves in the regular season, and if they continue, it will negatively impact their place in the standings. However, the real worry is that the Wolves' inability to take care of the ball will bleed into the playoffs, something that could undoubtedly hurt their ceiling.
The Wolves have numerous strengths that could help them put together another deep playoff run, but taking care of the ball is a clear weakness that might cause everything to crumble. Minnesota must prove that these recent turnover woes are simply a bad stretch rather than the new norm.