Throughout the course of the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have mostly remained in the top 10 in defensive rating, and they currently rank sixth. That end of the court has been their calling card since acquiring four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
One area that they have excelled at this season is limiting the number of 3-point tries (and makes) from their opponent. That is an area they have improved at even more so with Anthony Edwards sidelined for the last five games, and it has helped them win four of those without their superstar.
3-point defense has tightened up even more without Edwards
With just nine regular season games remaining until Minnesota gears up for the playoffs, the Timberwolves have given up the fourth-least made 3-pointers per outing (12.4) as well as the fourth-least attempts from deep (34.8) in 2025-26. They have a 15-4 record on the year when the opposition makes no more than 10 3-pointers in a contest.
Minnesota is 4-1 in their last five games, all of which have been missed by Ant-Man. They have allowed 104.6 points per game over that time, and that goes down to 102 if not including the extra five minutes of overtime against the Houston Rockets. Their opponents have shot just 40 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from beyond the arc over that time. Plus, they are allowing the least amount of 3-pointers per game during this five game stretch without Edwards.
In each of their last three games (against the Rockets, Boston Celtics, and Portland Trail Blazers), Minnesota has allowed each of these three teams to make only nine 3-pointers. As good as the Timberwolves have been this season with not allowing teams to get hot from beyond the arc, it’s the first time all season that they have gone three straight games where the opposition didn’t reach double figures in made threes.
What makes that more impressive is that the Celtics (15.3, third) and Trail Blazers (14.4, 10th) are in the top 10 this season in made threes per game. The two teams combined to attempt 70 3-pointers against the Wolves, but made just 18. The Rockets went 9-29 on 3-point tries in Minnesota's most recent outing.
Sure, part of that may be luck, as some open looks were missed. Nonetheless, the Timberwolves knew that they needed to hone in on their strengths without Edwards. The offense hasn’t always been clicking, particularly in the last three games, but the 3-point defense has kept them more than just afloat sans Ant.