Wolves Press Clippings

Wolves Press Clippings

The 2015-16 version of the Minnesota Timberwolves is very, very fun and we saw a glimpse of it Saturday night.

In a back-and-forth game, the Timberwolves were able to sneak past the Chicago Bulls by a score of 102-93 in overtime. Man, this was an incredibly fun game.

Both teams came out firing in the first quarter, especially from deep, as the Wolves and the Bulls combined to shoot 10/13 from three-point range. Andrew Wiggins got off to a hot start, making his first four threes and finishing the game with 31 points (11/27 FG, 4/5 3pt FG, 5/10 FT). Although he did struggle down the stretch in the fourth quarter, he did do this which is really freaking cool. Notice the score and time remaining in the game.

The Timberwolves were able to hold the Bulls to just 35.5% shooting from the field tonight, despite the hot start the Bulls got off to. This defense is definitely improved from last season’s that finished last in the NBA in nearly every major defensive statistical category.

Chicago was led by Pau Gasol, who tallied 21 points (8/19 FG, 5/6 FT) and 14 rebounds and made a number of savvy plays to keep Chicago in the game down the stretch. However, Gasol’s teammates were unable to provide much for additional scoring.Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butlerwere each only able to manage 11 points, as Rose shot 3/13 and Butler 4/15 for the evening. You know who defended Rose and Butler? Ricky Rubio and Wiggins. Yeah, they can both play defense pretty well.

Speaking of Rubio, that guy played some very good basketball tonight even though the stat sheet might not necessarily show it. He tallied 7 points (2/10 FG, 3/4 FT), 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals and played tremendous defense all game. Additionally, he made one key defensive play late in the game when he stripped ball from Gasol, dove for the ball, and called a timeout. This play describes why Rubio is so valuable to the Wolves.

While all the talk about Rubio and Wiggins is certainly well-deserved, two Wolves rookies also played huge roles in the win. Nemanja Bjelica recorded his first career double-double with 17 points (5/9 FG, 2/6 3pt FG, 5/6 FT) and 12 rebounds in 40 minutes.

However, after battling foul trouble in the first half, it was Karl-Anthony Townswho took over the game in the second half. His final stat line included 17 points (8/18 FG, 1/1 FT), 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. In the second half alone, Towns put up 13 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 key assists late in the fourth quarter and overtime.

What we saw tonight was two different types of games. In the first half, it was a high-paced offensive shootout as both teams neared 60 points for the half (Wolves led 58-57 at half). In the second half, neither team was able to score 40 points as the squads were tied at 93 heading into overtime. Pretty impressive that a young team like the Wolves can play either type of game and still come away with a win against a difficult Chicago Bulls team on the road.

Oh, and by the way, the Wolves completely shut out the Bulls in the five-minute overtime period. Yeah, that defense is much better this season.Tonight marked the 2015-16 season debut of the Rubioop to Wiggins, which is always incredibly fun.

Kevin Martin’s absence due to a personal issue opened the door for Sam Mitchell to use Zach LaVine on the floor with Ricky Rubio for a couple of stints. LaVine appeared much more comfortable on both ends of the floor during these stints, and you’d think Mitchell would try to use that more in the future even when Martin returns.

The Ricky Rubio and Karl-Anthony Towns pick and roll game was ultra-efficient tonight in the second half. Those two have already developed a tremendous chemistry with each other after five games, and it’s only going to get better folks. Get excited.

What Ricky Rubio did for the Wolves tonight will probably fly a bit under the radar for most fans, but not me. He got the offense going, distributing 10 assists and also had numerous hockey assists. Defensively, he was a menace on Derrick Rose, holding him to 3/13 from the field and just 5 assists.

Say what you want about Tayshaun Prince, but the guy gets it done. He’s played solid defense all season long and, while he doesn’t do much on offense, he made a couple huge buckets tonight to help the Wolves get the win. He deserves minutes.

If you don’t mind, I’d like to rave about Karl-Anthony Towns for a few sentences. Okay, so this kid is 19-years-old. He sat for a majority of the first half due to foul trouble. And what does he do in the second half? Oh, you know, just puts up 13 points, 12 rebounds 3 blocks and 2 of the sweetest assists from a big man I’ve seen. This guy is literally unbelievable. That’s the only word I can think of that accurately describes it.

This game wouldn’t have been close if the Wolves could’ve just made their free throws, especially in the fourth quarter. Overall, they finished the game 17/27 from the line for just under 70%. It’s a bit of a concern moving forward, but I’m not worrying too much about it because they were still able to beat the Bulls on the road despite it.

My excitement for this team in three years is off the charts. Rubio, Wiggins and Towns were all incredible tonight and they’re only going to get better.

The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Atlanta on Monday night for a matchup with the Hawks, but you don’t need to think about that yet. You have my permission to celebrate this win up until Monday night because you’re a Wolves fan and you deserve it.

Wolves Press Clippings

Fresh off a painful 16-win season, the Timberwolves front office was surely drooling at the young core of raw talent they’ve been able to assemble.

It’s fair to say the team is projected to be a massive force in the West (an impressive feat in and of itself) in a couple of seasons, but the task at hand now is to make sure that the team continues on such a trajectory. In other words, they can’t afford to screw this one up.

Entering a Name and State on this site could reveal info you thought wasn't available. Have you searched yourself or someone you know yet?

A key factor that will help facilitate this new upbringing is the presence of NBA veterans to the team. The Timberwolves brought Kevin Garnett home before the trade deadline last year and acquired Tayshaun Prince and Andre Miller over the summer.

While all three are well beyond their primes, all three players also bring fundamentals to the team. Kevin Garnett is a constant voice on the defensive end of the floor, which is something that Timberwolves teams of the recent past have struggled with. Tayshaun Prince, having lost his offensive touch in the last couple of years, has survived in the league through the tenacious defense he’s played his entire career.And who can forget the Professor himself in Miller, currently 39 years old, whose sound basketball IQ will help shape the raw Minnesota back court.

These veterans obviously weren’t brought into the team in order to pad the box score, no, they’re there for the intangibles they can bring to the team. It’s a race to creating team chemistry between the young core and the supporting cast, and to build a foundation to which that can stand for many seasons to come.Garnett will keep the team fired up throughout the game, probably lashing out at anybody that plays with the tiniest bit of lackadaisical effort, as well as assist in developing the game of big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

Tayshaun Prince will help with the overall defense of the team and instilling a more balanced approach to the game that doesn’t leave the team at the bottom of the barrel in the defensive categories.

Miller will shape up the back court, and I sure hope he rubs off a ton on LaVine and Jones, in order to turn them into NBA-caliber players — and let’s be honest, I don’t even know why Mitchell still insists to play LaVine at the one, it makes no sense given his skill set, but that’s for another article.

Wolves Press Clippings

For the Chicago Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the end goal is the same, but the paths they will take there differ vastly from each other.

Chicago is considered to be a playoff team and, perhaps, the only team in the East with the potential to upset LeBron James‘ Cavaliers in the playoffs. The Wolves, on the other hand, won their first two games (granted, against the Lakers and Nuggets), but aren’t expected to be much more than a bottom-feeder this year.

The Bulls and rookie head coach (and former Wolves player and executive) Fred Hoiberg come into this match-up with a few impressive wins already — the Cavs and the Thunder — by way of offense, which isn’t something fans are used to. Hoiberg has brought in an offensive-minded approach to a team previously shaped by Tom Thibodeau’s defense-first mentality. Consequently, their defense has suffered.

Minnesota hasn’t really shown to put either side of the floor in front of the other this season. Ricky Rubio‘s squad hasn’t been too impressive offensively (highlighted (?) by Thursday’s performance against the Heat), but also hasn’t been great defensively, either.

Chicago will be without backup point guard Kirk Hinrich (sore toe) and guard-forwardMike Dunleavy (back surgery). Nikola Pekovic (right Achilles rehab) will miss yet another game for the Wolves.

Currently, the Bulls sit at 4-2, which is good for 6th in the Eastern Conference. The Timberwolves come into the game at 2-2, tied for the eighth spot in the West.

Minnesota Timberwolves Preview

PG — Ricky Rubio (15.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 9.0 APG)

Kevin Martin – Martin averages the most points per game for the Wolves this season (18.8) coming off of the bench although he’s really struggled from a plus/minus perspective. He had an especially rough outing on Thursday against Miami.

Nemanja Bjelica – Bjelly has provided decent minutes off the bench this season. He’s rebounded the ball fairly well and has shown his ability to find open teammates via the pass, although he’s had perhaps a bit too much of a hesitancy to let his shot fly from the perimeter.

Chicago Bulls Preview

Record: 4-2

PG — Derrick Rose (13.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 5.7 APG)

Tony Snell – Snell just lost the starting job last game to McDermott (and could very well start in this game), but he’s still been good when on the floor this year.

Joakim Noah – Noah has gone from an All-Defense First Team to a bench player, but he still plays a vital role. He’s a great defender and a good passer for his position.

Three Things to Watch

1. Wiggins vs. Butler. Andrew Wiggins has been struggling so far this season, and with a like defender Jimmy Butler — my pick for the Defensive Player of the Year — guarding him for much of Saturday’s contest, his production might not get any better.

2. Bulls Offense. The Bulls have shown that they can score the basketball. It’ll be hard for Minnesota to keep up in terms of scoring, so we’ll see how or if they’ll be able to stay in the game

3. The Rotation. Sam Mitchell has already taken some backlash from the fans due to his odd way of rationing minutes. Some aren’t too keen on both KG and Prince starting. Other would like to see LaVine at the two and have Andre Miller run the offense for the second unit. It’ll be interesting to see if Mitchell indeed alters his rotation at all after a rough showing on Thursday.

Prediction

The Bulls will win this game easily, primarily due to their superiority in overall talent, but playing at home doesn’t hurt, either.

Don’t plan on Andrew Wiggins turning things around tonight either with Jimmy Butler in his grill. It’s also a defensive challenge for the reigning Rookie of the Year as Butler is a potent offensive player.

The Timberwolves will drop to 2-3 on the season heading into a four games in five nights scenario next week beginning on Monday night.

Wolves Press Clippings

The Timberwolves are only four games into the season, but coach Sam Mitchell’s rotations have already been a hot topic for Wolves fans.

In the first game alone, everyone but Andre Miller played — in the first half. It was an odd choice, but also one that was fairly easy to explain as trying to see what he in the first meaningful game the Wolves played this year.

Since then, Mitchell has gone to a rather consistent rotation. The first person that he likes to bring off the bench is Nemanja Bjelica. Kevin Garnett starts at power forward to bring energy and set the tone on defense, but he isn’t capable of playing big minutes every night anymore.

Bjelica typically replaces Garnett four to five minutes into the game and is averaging 26 minutes per contest, mostly profiling as a stretch-four during that time.

The second substitution also comes early in the game, as Kevin Martin will replaceTayshaun Prince soon after Bjelica checks in. Martin slides in at shooting guard, moving Andrew Wiggins to small forward, his natural position. Bjelica and Martin each play nearly as many minutes as the other three starters (Ricky Rubio, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Wiggins).

In fact, the lineup of Rubio, Martin, Wiggins, Bjelica, and Towns is the Timberwolves’ third-most used, behind only the starters and the five-man bench unit. Mitchell has shown a tendency to run out players in hockey-style shifts, where he’ll use the five starters or five bench players for large chunks of the game.There is a bit of mixing as he tries to limit Garnett’s and Prince’s minutes, but it appears he has a liking for that sort of rotation.

The all-bench unit generally arrives when there are three to four minutes left in the first quarter. Zach LaVine will replace Rubio at point, Shabazz Muhammad will come in for Wiggins, and Gorgui Diengfinishes things off by replacing Towns. This lineup usually gets about six minutes together at a time, bridging the quarters in each half.

Coach Mitchell will begin substituting some of the starters back in as the second and fourth quarters roll along, usually beginning by bringing in Wiggins and Towns. LaVine stays in at point guard for a few minutes longer, but once Rubio comes back in, the Wolves are back to the lineup of Rubio-Martin-Wiggins-Bjelica-Towns. Prince and Garnett will then come in for the final few minutes of the first half, but if the Wolves are in a close game in the second half, Martin will get those crunch time minutes, leaving Prince on the bench.

The starters average about 13 minutes of playing time together every night, while the all-bench unit gets about 12 minutes, per NBA.com. Mitchell feels comfortable without one of his star players in the game to help guide the offense, which is different than most other teams.

The Clippers, for example, will nearly always have one of Blake Griffin or Chris Paul on the floor, even if surrounded by four bench players. The Thunder have a similar strategy with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka, trying to keep one of them in the game at all times.

There is nothing inherently wrong with not having one of the team’s best players in the game, especially when Martin and Muhammad have proven to be efficient scorers. However, it’s obvious with the Wolves that not having Wiggins, Rubio, or Towns in kills the offense. Ball movement stagnates, and too often the Wolves turn to Martin or LaVine to make something happen one-on-one.This problem could be somewhat alleviated by keeping in someone that can collapse the defense with penetration and make smart passes.

That brings us to the point guard situation. LaVine has played nearly all of his minutes at point guard. Andre Miller has played only four minutes all season with all of them coming late in the blowout loss to the Heat.

Tyus Jones hasn’t even dressed for a game yet this season. LaVine continues to get all of the point guard minutes behind Rubio, and there have been very few stretches this year where he has looked good in that role.

The half-court offense with LaVine at point guard struggles to initiate plays, and, as previously mentioned, the ball movement suffers. Bringing in Andre Miller to help set things up would be extremely beneficial, but then somebody in the lineup has to lose minutes. LaVine should continue to get minutes, but he would have to get most of those at shooting guard. That would mean that either him or Martin should start to get those minutes in, which would move Wiggins to starting small forward.

Tayshaun Prince would lose most of his rotation minutes if that happened, but Wolves fans would likely agree that that would be just fine. Prince has actually been pretty good overall for the Wolves — at least by using plus/minus to measure his performance as he has a mark of +25 so far.

There has been only one time where the back court of Rubio, LaVine, and Wiggins have played together. It was the first game of the season against the Lakers, and it was only for four minutes in the first half. However, the Wolves outscored Los Angeles by 7 points in that short amount of time, including a sequence during which Ricky found LaVine on the fast break for an easy layup.

That should be allowed to happen more often. LaVine getting minutes learning how to play with Rubio might be more valuable than LaVine playing through his mistakes at point guard. Prince brings solid defense, leadership, and a hard-working attitude, and coach Mitchell understandably wants to show that he can win as the interim coach, but it’s all about the future for the Wolves.

Wolves Press Clippings

Outlet: Dunking With Wolves

Author: Will Long
Timberwolves' Wiggins and Towns: A Duo for the Ages