Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Timberwolves play defense with only four players

The Timberwolves traded for Rudy Gobert to improve their defense. What would help even more is using five players.

With the Phoenix Suns leading 46-35, Jaylen Nowell drove to the basket, made a layup, and got fouled. Before he took his free throw, Minnesota subbed in D’Angelo Russell for Taurean Prince. Only, Russell never left the scorers table.

So the remaining four Wolves valiantly played defense while the Suns enjoyed an extremely rare NBA power play. 

Damion Lee missed a 3-pointer, possibly distracted by just how wide open he was, and then Torrey Craig corralled one of the easiest offensive rebounds of his career.

Craig got wide open himself with the clever move of passing the ball back and forth one single time. 

As he rose up to sink a 3-pointer, Russell sprinted into frame, finally realizing that he was supposed to be playing basketball. He looked just as guilty as any of us who are horribly, embarrassingly late for work, but to his credit, he was not holding a cup of coffee or a pastry as he rushed in.

The Timberwolves lost to the Suns, who were missing two starters, 129-117. That score proves their defense wasn’t all that great when they had five players either. 

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