The Timberwolves should go into Orlando on Friday with a defensive priority that has little to do with whether Anthony Edwards can repeat his opening-night shooting: make Paolo Banchero finish possessions without a whistle. Orlando took 39 free throws in Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta, including 16 by Banchero, per ESPN’s box score.
Minnesota should treat that as the matchup’s first demand. Keep bodies between Banchero and the basket, make the help arrive early, and live with some difficult makes. A late reach that gives him free throws is a bad rescue plan for a defense that has already lost its position.
Banchero can win the possession before the shot
The ESPN box score from Orlando’s opener has Banchero at 35 points on 10-for-12 shooting, with 12 makes in 16 free-throw attempts. He also had 10 assists. Atlanta won 132-125, but that individual line should get Minnesota’s attention.
Sixteen free throws against 12 field-goal attempts is the warning. That comparison does not tell us how every foul happened. It does show how much of Banchero’s scoring came from chances that did not require beating a contest on a recorded shot. Twelve of his points came at the stripe.
The assists make the assignment harder. I would resist sending an extra defender simply because Banchero catches the ball. If Minnesota crowds him before he has created an advantage, it gives him an opportunity to move the ball to the player that defender left. His opener offered plenty of reason to respect the pass alongside the finish.
My preference is for the first defender to hold his ground and show Banchero a crowded route toward Rudy Gobert. That requires the help to be in view before the drive gathers speed. Arriving after Banchero has reached a comfortable finishing position leaves the defender choosing between a clean look and a desperate contest.
Miami’s final score hid a warning for Minnesota
Minnesota beat Miami 131-106, but the defensive work around the basket still needs attention. Per ESPN’s Miami box score, the Heat scored 54 points in the paint and made 20 of 26 free throws. The Wolves committed 26 personal fouls.
Those are separate scoring categories, and both matter tonight. Minnesota cannot solve the free-throw problem by stepping aside on drives. The goal should be to make the finish harder while keeping the defender’s hands out of a late swipe. I would accept a contested basket before turning the same play into a basket and an extra attempt.
Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga and LaMelo Ball each finished with four fouls, according to ESPN. That is a lot of the starting group carrying the same problem. The responsibility cannot end with the center being told to protect the rim more carefully.
Ball and the wings need to stay attached long enough for Gobert to choose his contest. If the first defender gets beaten cleanly, the next defender inherits the speed of the drive and the threat of a pass. Better positioning outside gives Gobert a more manageable decision inside.
Our case for trusting Gobert before doubling Giannis set out the preference for beginning with organized help. Orlando adds a specific demand to that approach: Minnesota has to keep its first coverage intact without spending fouls to do it.
Wendell Carter Jr. prevents an easy answer
Gobert cannot simply wait under the basket and ignore everybody except Banchero. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 22 points against Atlanta and made one of three threes, per ESPN. I would make Gobert responsible for knowing where Carter is before committing to a drive.
That does not mean treating three attempts as proof that Carter must be chased off every perimeter catch. It means the Wolves need a plan for the pass behind the help. If Gobert steps toward Banchero, the nearest wing should already know whether he is responsible for Carter or for recovering outside.
The full Wolves roster and depth chart lays out the personnel behind those decisions. For this matchup, I would value a group that can move into help, recover and finish the rebound over one chosen only for its shooting.
Beringer’s minutes deserve the same discipline
Joan Beringer had one foul in 14 minutes at Miami, per ESPN. That is a useful starting point for a player whose backup-center role has made foul control a central question. That discipline needs to carry into his next shift.
Finch should give him the same clear assignment he gives Gobert: establish position early, contest without chasing the ball with his hands, and trust the players behind the play to account for the pass. Asking a reserve center to repair every breakdown is a good way to make his minutes harder than they need to be.
Friday’s game tips at 6 p.m. Central in Orlando, according to ESPN’s game information. The number I will watch alongside the score is Banchero’s free-throw attempts, with the paint defense beside it. A quiet night at the line means little if the Wolves give him uncontested finishes. Make him score through a defender who is still standing in the play.