For much of the Minnesota Timberwolves' season, the Julius Randle-Naz Reid frontcourt pairing yielded disastrous defensive results. According to Cleaning the Glass, in 2,127 possessions, this duo posted a 118.2 defensive rating. The floor spacing and offense advantages of this duo have always been clear, but figuring out how they survive on defense has been a struggle due to their lack of rim protection.
However, in the playoffs, the Randle and Reid pairing has transformed into a powerful duo on both ends of the court. Thus far in the playoffs, Randle and Reid have a 107.4 defensive rating, which, coupled with a stellar 122.8 offensive rating, gives the Wolves an exceptional 15.4 net rating with these two players.
There have been two main reasons for this transformation in my eyes. Firstly, Chris Finch has been leaning into more supersized lineups with Randle, Reid, and Rudy Gobert. In 44 playoff possessions with this pairing, they have a whopping 41.1 net rating. The sheer size of this trio can overwhelm opponents, and Reid has done a great job of guarding opposing small forwards.
When the Wolves aren't leaning into this lineup, Randle's rim protection has improved mightily, and overall, his defense has been far more impactful in the playoffs. Without a doubt, Randle and Reid showing that they aren't just a viable pairing but a formidable one is a game-changer for the Wolves.
The improvement of the Randle-Reid duo changes everything
The Wolves' defense in the non-Rudy minutes was a massive flaw all regular season long. Notably, they were 11.8 points per 100 possessions better with Gobert on the floor. Much of these defensive struggles were due to the lack of rim protection from Randle and Reid.
Not being able to survive on defense when Rudy sat was a problem that I thought could prove to be untenable. Regardless, in the playoffs, Minnesota's defense has been slightly better with Gobert off the court.
Listen, on/off numbers don't tell the full story, and there's no denying Gobert's defense has been fantastic in the playoffs. Still, I think this stat highlights the defensive improvements of the Randle- Reid duo.
Plus, there's no denying that the spacing aspect of this pairing is immensely valuable. In the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Spurs, Minnesota leaned on Randle and Reid, with Gobert playing just over a minute in the final quarter.
The Wolves scored 35 points in the fourth quarter and ultimately pulled off a two-point win. Undoubtedly, the five-out spacing that this Randle-Reid duo provided was a key reason that the Wolves etched out a win. This pulled Victor Wembanyama away from the rim and opened a lot up for the Wolves.
And thankfully, their defense remained stout -- hats off to Randle for bothering Wemby with his physicality.
As the Wolves attempt to make an improbable championship run, getting more production from this frontcourt will be highly beneficial.
This revelation could also change the Wolves' offseason plans. Before the playoffs, many folks (including myself) speculated that the Wolves could be forced to trade one of Randle or Reid this offseason. However, as of now, this doesn't appear to be the case.
All in all, getting more production from the Randle-Reid pairing is a genuine game-changer for the Timberwolves in every way.
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