Timberwolves issues continue as schedule toughens and Reeve returns to Lynx
Two very different stories coming out of Target Center this week, as the Wolves struggle and Lynx retain a franchise fixture.
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If you have read this space regularly, patience is something I have preached in the early days of this Timberwolves season. While I still do agree this team should look better in two months, Monday’s loss to the Knicks really highlighted this team’s early-season troubles. The Timberwolves did lead a few times, but never after the first quarter and trailed by as much as 25 points at home.
In the first half, the Knicks torched the Timberwolves from deep, hitting 13-of-39 and leading 76-52 at half.
“By the time we finally found some physicality on defense we were able to try and compose ourselves for the moments that we were, which were few and far between,” said coach Chris Finch. “Our shot contestedness just wasn’t there, guys didn’t feel us and they were shooting shots with too much space on them.”
To their credit, the Wolves charged back in the second half, outscoring the Knicks by 11 combined points over those two quarters. The bench gave meaningful support in helping the team force 14 turnovers and 17 points off them (after zero points off five forced turnovers in the first half). Yet, it was really too little and too late.
“The amount of pressure we were able to establish on the ball, the physicality, it got into them a bit,” said Finch. “Wanted a group out there that will play a little harder, play a little more physical and try to be a little more disruptive.”
When asked if the energy and effort was the problem, Naz Reid said, “I wouldn’t say it’s the issue, I just feel like we know how to do all the right things, we know how to win, it’s just, putting it all together in a full 48 minutes. I feel like, once we work on that, we should be every team.”
It’s not that they lost, it’s how they lost. This loss was not terribly dissimilar to the loss at home to San Antonio where the fans booed. them. The competition was better but the effort was lacking. Putting in a consistent effort across 48 minutes has challenged this team even with Gobert.
Let’s take a look at how the Wolves dug that first-half hole.
When the Wolves have been at their best, they have thrived off of points off turnovers. However, the Wolves allowed 29 points off 18 turnovers, like in these clips. Evan Fournier did not have to work exceptionally hard to pick these passes off.
Poor Kyle Anderson. There were so many plays where he was left scrambling to close out on an impossibly open shooter. It is hard to know with these plays whether this is Anderson’s or D’Angelo Russell’s fault, but it has been lapses like these that have been a recurring issue. Cam Reddish, in particular, had a couple other uncontested shots like this.
Look, sometimes players just make plays. However, on a night with so many of these plays, giving the Timberwolves the benefit of the doubt is difficult. Here, Anthony Edwards loses his man, who just trots to the basket to catch the pass for the easy layup. Sigh.
Now with a 5-6 record and no signature wins to their name, the Timberwolves may be digging themselves a hole for this season. Currently, they sit in 10th place in the Western Conference. Sure, there is still a lot of season left and Rudy Gobert did not play, but this was a winnable game. But this schedule toughens immediately with the next three games coming against the Suns, Grizzlies and Cavaliers.
Monday night was probably their best chance for a victory this week, with no disrespect to the Knicks. With two of the team’s worst losses this season coming at home now, feeling good about playing Phoenix at home is difficult. Don’t even mention the possibility of stealing one in Memphis or Cleveland. The Timberwolves cannot play like the did on Monday against any of these teams and expect to have a shot.
Lynx bringing back Cheryl Reeve great for the franchise
If anyone at Target Center has earned the right to stay around as long as they want, it’s Cheryl Reeve. The Minnesota Lynx announced last Thursday (Look, I wanted to fit this in last week, okay?) that Reeve signed a contract extension that comes with a promotion from general manager to President of Basketball Operations.
Reeve has been with the Lynx for 13-going-on-14 seasons, led the franchise to four championships and 281 wins. Her arrival in Minneapolis changed the fates of what was previously a struggling team.
What’s encouraging about Reeve’s continued presence with this franchise is her willingness to make big moves. The Lynx did not flounder when Maya Moore left and were still able to draft Napheesa Collier as the eventual face-of-the-franchise successor to Sylvia Fowles. The latter of which the team has worked to bring in Kayla McBride, Aerial Powers, Angel McCoughtry and others — to varying degrees of success — to hopefully send Fowles out on top.
Unfortunately, Fowles’s career did not end in confetti, but Reeve and the Lynx have demonstrated they are not content to rest on their past successes. This offseason will undoubtedly continue their aggressive approach in getting back to the postseason.
Suggested reading: Lucas Seehafer for The Next with further details on the transaction.