His transfer Rudy Gobert in the Minnesota Timberwolves He would go down in history as one of the greatest draft picks (five in all). But also as a risky bet for an interior when at list of names there was already one and with great weight as Karl-Anthony Towns. Small-market teams are constantly forced in the NBA to make extreme moves and pay dearly to improve their rotation. So, the Wolves They bet everything on the best project they’ve had in the last two decades in the hope that the mix of defending and emerging talent Anthony Edwards They would give quick results.
The reality was somewhat different.
The union of Towns and Gobert did not leave much positive feelings last season. Although the numbers showed optimistic elements, the arrangement of the two greats was anything but natural and constantly required extra effort from the Frenchman. As the games went on and after the Dominican returned from injury, the feelings were somewhat different, especially with the arrival of Mike Conley at point guard.
So, in the blink of an eye, the Timberwolves formed one of the most balanced starting quintets with the greatest defensive potential in the entire league: Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Towns and Gobert. It was only a matter of time before all the pieces fell into place.
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Time is the best ally in the NBA construction process, more on a defensive level. And the Minnesota coaching staff has done a wonderful job of analysis and practice to figure out the best way to make their team work defensively. Because performing well on the back end with that kind of capital is a matter of inertia, but doing it at an elite level is a big deal.
At the start of the 2023-2024 season, The Minnesota Timberwolves are the best defense in the league by far. Chris Finch’s side have the best defensive ratio, allowing 102.1 points per 100 possessions. The distance to the second? 3.7, practically the same as between the Boston Celtics (2nd) and the Miami Heat (9th, 109.8).
Although only a handful of games have been played in a very extended regular season and that number will eventually increase and stabilize at more usual numbers, it does not mean that the level behind Wolves is high.
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Minnesota’s defensive collapse reflects that. A group that only allows andl 61.8% hoop success ratethe most difficult area to defend, and a 37.6% in the restricted zone, This is the third best record in the competition. Although those from Minneapolis are more brilliant they are in their defense triplegranting only a 29.4% to their rivals at the front.
And how do they do it? Resorting to an old trick from the Utah Jazz of putting Rudy Gobert on a player who doesn’t normally take an active part in the opposing offense:
In this way, the Frenchman can act as an active assistant in any attack on the rim. In such a way that he not only has to overcome the Timberwolves’ first line of defense, but after that is forced to solve a Gobert ready to set up any layup or short shot near the rim.
A strategy that over the last five years has spread throughout the NBA to take full advantage of big defenders who are not very mobile and focus their impact not so much on the immediate block but rather on extra plays or when the opponent gains an advantage. Perhaps the most visual example for the fan is how the Celtics used Ime Udoka Robert Williams in 2022.
Through this defensive formation, the paint is safer due to the constant presence of a giant like Gobert guarding the rim, allowing the rest to be more aggressive on the ball or in face-offs and “guard” Towns.
The danger of this scheme is that it can allow a high volume of three-pointers in the cornerswhich is behind the 40% accuracy rate from where Minnesota’s opponents have scored and 37.5% in the case of the French interior.
But the The Timberwolves’ defense far outstrips the Frenchman, which makes them an extremely dangerous team to compete against. Despite his seniority, Mike Conley still has the fuel to support his team back, turning up the volume, being smart in coverage and what risks to take. To that we must add Jaden McDaniels who, despite his departures from everything, is an excellent defender in help, as well as Anthony Edwards who thanks to his progress and intensity, has become an invaluable asset for Minny.
The quest for big plays, with back-to-back fours playing a key role alongside Gobert, has been behind the success of the Timberwolves’ defense this early in the campaign. Figures like Kyle Anderson or Naz Reid or Towns himself They go to great lengths to explain how Minnesota managed to get there. We only have to see them defend to understand that:
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Defense is usually a cornerstone of winning teams, but one that isn’t always appreciated enough in retrospect because of how difficult it is to do it well and consistently in this NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves picked an idea and stuck with it. Making changes and adjustments, of course, but believing that his analysis was correct.
Now, more than a year after adding to a 3 time defender of the year and surround him with players capable of helping him, the Wolves are in a position to become a problem for the rest of the NBA to solve.
Their pinnacle is not the ring and that is precisely why they should not be measured by that measure, but rather by the historical perspective of their work and the ambition of the chosen path.
