The NBA season is almost three weeks old and a lot of the data, advanced or traditional, is noisy. Small sample size and all. But one thing that is evident is the Minnesota Timberwolves are a legitimate squad. They’re the only team to defeat the defending champion Denver Nuggets so far and they beat the previously unbeaten Boston Celtics. Are the Wolves for real?
Rudy Gobert Trade Is Working Out
They’ve made the playoffs the past two years and have won a total of three playoff games in that time. But something about them looks different to start this season.
Remember last year when they traded for three-time DPOY Rudy Gobert and gave up five first-round picks and a pick swap?
It was widely mocked by NBA fans and many in the media. For what it’s worth, the Wolves finished last season 10th in aDRTG. It took some time for the roster to learn how to defend with a player like Gobert.
This season the Wolves are first in aDRTG. Yes, it’s only been eight games. But they’ve had the toughest strength of schedule so far, and Gobert is not a man on an island.
Fourth year wing Jaden McDaniels (6 feet 10) looks like an All-Defensive first team stud that you put on the opponentâs best player. Mike Conley is still very good on defense, and even Karl-Anthony Towns is a plus defender.
Ant-Man Is Becoming An Elite Two-Way Player
But what’s really pushing the team over the top is ascendant superstar Anthony Edward’s commitment to the defensive end of the floor. At 6 feet 5 with a long wingspan and incredible athleticism, he is taking pride in his defense. It was evident in the overtime win against the Celtics when Jayson Tatum called for a pick and roll to get Edwards in isolation.
“One of the best players in the league. He was talking smack at the jump ball in overtime and I told him, ‘I’m comin’ again,’ Edwards said after the game. “Luckily, he called me up for an iso, and I’m like, ‘I play defense, I just got 5 fouls.'”
Edwards does indeed play defense. He was down in his stance and disciplined on Tatum in OT, locking up the perennial All-NBA player on multiple possessions.
If this is who Edwards and the Wolves are defensively, this team will be a legitimate contender. Their top-10 rotation of players are all plus defenders in early DBPM metrics.
Now, it’s not all roses for the Wolves. On offense they’re ranked 15th, middle of the road. KAT has not played up to his level on that end of the floor and there is scuttlebutt about the team wanting to trade him for players that better fit around Edwards.
Their next four games will tell us more about who this team is and wants to be.
They play the San Antonio Spurs and rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama on Friday night. The Wolves are better and should beat them going away.
They then play two straight in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday and Tuesday and then head to Phoenix to play the Suns on Wednesday in the second night of a back-to-back.
The Warriors’ offense is dizzying and destroys the best defenses. Let’s see how disciplined the Wolves remain. In Phoenix, Bradley Beal is back, Kevin Durant is still playing elite basketball and Devin Booker should be back by then as well.
If the Wolves are 3-1 with a close loss or 4-0 out of that stretch, look out.
