11. Minnesota Timberwolves: Defense
Plain and simple, if the Minnesota Timberwolves don’t want to suffer another 14-year playoff drought, they need to be able to stop their opponent from scoring. This season, the Timberwolves had the eighth highest opponent field goal percentage, the eighth highest opponent points per game average, the second highest opponent second-chance points, and were 14th in opponent fast break points, which was due more to their lack of turnovers (4th lowest in the league) than their transition defense, which was one of the worst in the league.
These defensive struggles are surprising when you take into consideration who they had on their team. Karl-Anthony Towns looks like someone who could stop just about anyone he wanted, and Jimmy Butler (for a portion of the season) is a great defensive guard. Not to mention that they were under the leadership of Tom Thibodeau, who at one point, was regarded as the best defensive coach in the league.
Still, the corrosive nature of Butler and Thibodeau proved to hurt the Wolves more than their talents would help, and Minnesota is left on the outside looking in for the 15th time in 16 years.