The Timberwolves have prided themselves on how they perform on the defensive end. Since acquiring Rudy Gobert, they have finished in the top ten in defensive rating each of his first three seasons (including first in 2023-24). Last season, their 110.8 defensive rating ranked sixth.
After Minnesota uncharacteristically struggled on that end of the court to begin the season, they are looking back to their normal selves on that end. The change really began with the flip of the calendar to November.
Timberwolves' defensive woes seem to be a thing of the past
On Monday, the Timberwolves defeated the Mavericks 120-96 to improve their record to 9-5. Dallas shot just 40% from the field and 30% from 3-point range. Yes, this was a Mavericks team that started Brandon Williams, Moussa Cisse, and Max Christie. Those aren’t exactly household names for the casual fans. Still, the defensive turnaround has been occurring for Minnesota for some time now.
In the month of November, they have the fifth-best defensive rating of 109.1 in nine outings. Since their game against the Knicks on November 5, when they gave up a season-high 137 points, Minnesota has been second with a 104.3 defensive rating after that date.
That is a stark difference from how the Timberwolves began the season. In the month of October, Minnesota had a 119.5 defensive rating in its five games. That was only better than three of the worst teams in the league: the Wizards, Pelicans, and Nets.
Schedule may have played a part in defensive improvement
While the defensive improvement is excellent to see, it must be taken with a grain of salt. Through 14 games, the Timberwolves have feasted on a somewhat easy portion of their schedule. They are 9-0 against teams under .500, and 0-5 against squads with winning records.
In those nine outings against teams with non-winning records, they have given up an average of 107.9 points. In the five games against the Lakers (twice), Nuggets (twice), and Knicks, they have given up almost 18 points more per night (125.8).
Minnesota’s next game takes place on Wednesday against another bottom-feeder in the Wizards, who own a miserable 1-12 record. That seems like another golden opportunity for them to continue moving up the charts in defensive rankings. Still, you play who the schedule asks you to, and at the very least, the Wolves are building momentum with their defensive prowess.