While most focus on the point guard position as to where the Timberwolves need an upgrade, the fact remains that Chris Finch trusts just a few guys off his bench. Of late, when the regular starting lineup is intact, he has been giving time to four reserves: Naz Reid, Mike Conley, Jaylen Clark, and Rob Dillingham (and he has received single-digit minutes in five of his last six outings). Outside of Reid, bench scoring can be a struggle for them, as it has been for much of their first 16 games.
One of the least productive benches in the NBA
It was a heartbreaking defeat for Minnesota on Friday night, falling by one point to the Suns. A 9-0 run by Phoenix in the final minute allowed them to secure the come-from-behind win. Anthony Edwards broke out of his mini-slump in a major way, finishing with 41 points. It wasn't enough, though, as Edwards was one of the main culprits for the blown lead.
Reid scored nine points in the loss, about four less than his season average. Despite the subpar game from his standards, that was still half of the team’s scoring off the bench. The other nine came from Dillingham (five), Conley (three), and Clark (one).
Through games played on November 21, the Timberwolves rank 27th in bench scoring. The only two teams that play their bench less are the Lakers and the Rockets.
As teams continue to play with a quicker pace, having a lot of depth has become even more important to keep guys fresh. Minnesota has had some ailments so far (Edwards missed four games, McDaniels one), but they have still been far healthier than many other clubs. What happens if the injury bug begins to hit them, and their depth becomes more tested?
The Wolves need a better version of Shannon Jr. when he returns
Now, one injury that the Timberwolves have been dealing with is to Terrence Shannon Jr. A left foot injury has sidelined the 25-year-old for nine straight contests. He was expected to play a large role off the bench for Minnesota this season.
When he does return, the hope has to be that Shannon Jr. performs better. After a solid season-opening outing, he totaled just 17 points in the next six games while shooting 23.8% from the field.
If Shannon Jr. continues to play like that, he may become another player that Finch doesn’t trust in his rotation.