The Minnesota Timberwolves have surprisingly been the best team in the Western Conference.
Two seasons ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves were ridiculed for their over-the-top celebration after the 2022 play-in tournament. Then, in the 2023 playoffs, the Wolves looked like an afterthought once more when they got knocked out by the eventual-champion Denver Nuggets in just five games.
Eight months after that gentleman's sweep, Minnesota is perched atop the Western Conference like a fearsome hound howling at the full moon. Who's laughing now?
Nearly a quarter of the way into the 2023-24 season, the Timberwolves have emerged as a legitimate powerhouse in the West. Despite the fact that stacked teams like Denver and Phoenix have imposed their might early on, Minnesota has nevertheless emerged as a strong playoff contender. Boasting a 14-4 record after their first 18 games, Anthony Edwards and the rest of the pack have had plenty of reason to smile ear-to-ear.
How exactly have the Wolves pulled this off? Five aspects of their game command the NBA's attention.
Clogging the Lane
As Minnesota's opponents have found out the hard way, easy baskets in the paint are going to be scarce this season. As of November 30, the Wolves are 5th in opponents' field goal percentage less than 5 feet away from the basket. And when it comes to opponents' shooting percentage just outside the restricted area, only two teams (the Raptors and 76ers) have done a better job on defense than Minnesota.
""Our rotations and shot contests have to be on-point, and have been for the most part. One key for us this year is not relying on Rudy to do everything.""Head coach Chris Finch told MinnPost.
While Finch is right to emphasize a team-oriented approach on defense, there's no question that the Stifle Tower is Minnesota's anchor on that end of the floor. Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, continues to be an elite rim protector, averaging 2.3 blocks and leading the league in defensive rating through the end of November.
To Finch's point, Gobert hasn't had to carry the burden of inside defense by his lonesome. Thus far, backup center Naz Reid has done a great job of helping secure the paint whether Gobert is on the floor or not. Mat Issa of Forbes has even pointed out that the Gobert-Reid combination on defense is a pretty potent one, so expect the Wolves to use this tandem against certain frontcourts.
Crashing the Boards
To punctuate excellent defensive possessions, the Wolves have cleaned up the glass with gusto in their first 18 games. While Minnesota was among the worst rebounding teams at the end of the 2022-2023 season, they're currently 9th in the NBA with 45.2 boards per game. Even better, their average of 35.8 defensive rebounds is tied for second-best in the league.
Once again, it's their defensive ace Gobert who leads the way in this category with 11.6 a night. This average, by the way, is 4th best in the NBA — and it certainly doesn't hurt that his fellow starter Karl-Anthony Towns (9.1 RPG) is in the top 20 of that category as well.
The Wolves, though, could use some work on the offensive glass. If they can do better than their 9.4 offensive boards per game (which, as you could tell, is near the bottom of the barrel), scoring threats like KAT and the fiery Anthony Edwards will get even more opportunities to inflict damage.
Patrolling the Perimeter
Some teams do a decent job of protecting the paint but find themselves compromised when dealing with opponents' perimeter scoring. To be clear, Minnesota is not one of those teams. This season, the Wolves are limiting opposing teams to 33.1% shooting from beyond the arc. Outside of the New Orleans Pelicans, no other NBA team has contained their opponents' 3-point efficiency like Minnesota has.
Perhaps aware of this facet of the Wolves' defense (and because, you know, Rudy Gobert exists), teams have turned to their midrange game to get more scoring production. Though Minnesota actually leads the league in opponents' field goal attempts from 15 to 19 feet, they're also among the best in defending this range, limiting their foes to just 36.8% shooting.
The Wolves' perimeter defense is orchestrated by long-limbed, technically gifted wings like Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Plus, if you search for "Anthony Edwards highlights" on YouTube, you're sure to find impressive steals and scintillating blocks next to Ant-Man's jaw-dropping dunks.
Scoring With Efficiency
Though defense has largely shaped the Wolves' identity this season, they're pretty darn good at putting up buckets as well.
To be specific, Minnesota is making the most of its shots from various locations on the floor. They're a top-10 team in field goal percentage from 5 to 9 feet, 15 to 19 feet, and beyond the arc. In total, the Wolves are averaging 48.2% from the field (including 37.1% from 3-point range). And — for all the analytics devotees out there — the Wolves' True Shooting percentage (58.7) and Effective Field Goal percentage (54.9) set them apart as one of the most efficient offensive displays in the league.
Minnesota's cost-effective scoring is led by All-Star trio Edwards (26.2 PPG, 46.5% from the field), Towns (21.2 PPG, 39.8% from three-point distance), and Gobert (12.4 PPG, 4.6 field goals made out of 7.8 baskets attempted). Oh, and don't forget about the other All-Star on their team—Mike Conley Jr. is attempting as many three-point shots as Towns (4.9) but converting at an even higher clip (44% compared to KAT's 39.8%).
Limiting Opponents' Easy Points
Instead of getting deeper into Minnesota's offense — which, we have to acknowledge, has some pretty flawed aspects like bench scoring and assist-to-turnover ratio — let's talk some more about their defense.
Even as the Wolves are making the most out of their shots on one end, they've also done a great job of preventing teams from scoring too many easy points. Minnesota allows just 12.8 fastbreak points and 20.6 free throw attempts per game — both top-10 numbers in those respective categories.
The Wolves, in other words, have figured out many ways to curtail an opposing team's scoring production. Shoot from outside? Alexander-Walker and Anderson will (no pun intended) hound you all around the perimeter. Speed up the game? McDaniels and Edwards will anchor the transition defense, perhaps even pull off a chase-down block. Try your luck in the paint? Gobert and Reid can't wait to meet you at the rim.
Much of the regular season has yet to unfold, but if the Minnesota Timberwolves end up going on a deep playoff run, they'll have come a long way in silencing their critics from years past. With their stifling defense and efficient offense, the Wolves might end up having the last laugh.