Analysis
Timberwolves' defense has a two-point warning beneath the wins
Orlando made 29 of 45 shots inside the arc. I'd demand better containment before treating Minnesota's 93 points allowed as proof the defense is settled.
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Anthony Edwards' 45-point opener is a case for more threes
Edwards hit nine threes in Minnesota's 131-106 win at Miami. Keep giving him those attempts, even when the percentage comes down.
Analysis
Ayo Dosunmu's offensive rebounds should change the Wolves' plan
Dosunmu grabbed three of Minnesota's 17 offensive boards in Miami. I'd give him permission to keep chasing misses, with clear rules for who gets back.
Analysis
Jonathan Kuminga's four steals show the role the Wolves need
Kuminga took 10 shots in the opener and still supplied four steals and three assists. Minnesota should build his job around helping its stars, with a bigger demand on the glass.
Analysis
Donte DiVincenzo's Achilles return is a February question, not October
DiVincenzo is out for opening night in Miami with no return date. Jayson Tatum came back 298 days after his Achilles tear; apply that to April 25 and you get mid-February. The Wolves have to plan the first two-thirds of the regular season without his shooting.
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Terrence Shannon Jr. should be the Wolves’ first wing off the bench
Jaylen Clark has the defensive reputation. Shannon has the shooting that Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball need around them, and the shooting numbers from last season favor him for the minutes.
Analysis
Timberwolves should trust Rudy Gobert before doubling Giannis
Miami's opener gives Minnesota a choice: send extra help at Antetokounmpo immediately, or make him beat a set defense first. I'd start by trusting the size the Wolves already have.
Analysis
Jaden McDaniels' contract extension keeps the Wolves' balance
Minnesota is adding a $40 million season to McDaniels' deal. I like paying to keep the wing who can complement the stars, even with an offensive game that still has to hold up in May.
Analysis
LaMelo Ball's stats make the case for a gradual minutes bump
Ball produced at a star's rate in Charlotte while averaging 28 minutes. I'd give him more time in Minnesota, but 32 minutes is a better starting target than chasing his per-36 line.
Analysis
Isaiah Evans' 21 points earned him a look, not a Wolves rotation spot
The rookie hit five threes in the preseason finale, more points than his previous four games combined. Against that: 11-for-34 for the preseason, and a game with the starters in Detroit where he never got in.
Analysis
Timberwolves schedule: judge the Wolves after 20 games, not 10
Six of the first 10 games are on the road, and the 10 opponents averaged 43.7 wins last season. Then comes a franchise-record eight-game homestand against teams that averaged 32.6.
Analysis
Anthony Edwards turned it over four times as the Wolves lost a lead
Minnesota led Detroit 48-40 with six minutes left in the first half and trailed 65-58 at the break. Edwards turned it over four times in that stretch, and Detroit went on to win the preseason game 128-106.
Analysis
Finch is right to play Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball together
Chris Finch's gut says keep his two guards on the floor at the same time. 56% of Edwards' threes and 62% of Ball's were assisted last season (Ball's in Charlotte), so each can be the shooter while the other passes.
Analysis
Finch traded moodiness for giddiness. The Knicks game showed the cost
Chris Finch says LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards have made the Wolves loose. A 122-104 win at Madison Square Garden showed the upside, and Ball's game-high five turnovers and a 67% team night at the line showed what the joy still has to clean up.
Analysis
Naz Reid and Julius Randle were 28% of Wolves points. Who replaces them?
Reid and Randle accounted for 28% of Minnesota's points, 28% of its rebounds and 30% of its free throw attempts last season. LaMelo Ball covers the threes and the passing. The glass and the free throw line are the bill.
Analysis
Bones Hyland's five threes in a preseason game prove very little
Hyland went 5-of-6 from three in the Wolves' 125-124 preseason win over the Heat. He is a real shooter, but the number to watch is his 9-of-34 in the playoffs, because Donte DiVincenzo's torn Achilles leaves the Wolves short on guards.
Analysis
Rudy Gobert's free throws are the reason to wait on an extension
Gobert shot 52.6% from the line last season, his worst mark since his rookie year, and the slump took about half a point a game off his scoring. The Wolves can extend him now, and they shouldn't hurry.
