Timberwolves have regained their edge on defense

The Timberwolves led the league in all defensive metrics last season and rode those strengths to the conference finals. However, the offseason additions of Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo contributed to them losing their defensive edge and becoming more of a finesse team.

Through the first month of the season, the Timberwolves ranked 14th in defensive efficiency, 23rd in paint points allowed (51.0 per game) and 18th in fast-break points allowed (16.1 per game). Even more troublingly, they were 23rd in defensive rebounds (31.5) despite boasting of Rudy Gobert and Randle in the frontcourt.

In December, though, the Timberwolves rank No. 1 in defensive efficiency (92.0), second in paint points allowed (39.3 per game) and third in fast-break points allowed (12.2 per game). Minnesota has also shored up its rebounding in a big way, leading the league in defensive boards (37.3) and seventh overall (46.5). 

During their 106-92 win over the Spurs on Sunday, the Timberwolves held an opponent to under 93 points for the sixth time in their last seven games — an astonishing feat in the modern NBA. For context, only 38 games this season have featured a team scoring 93 or fewer points, and the Timberwolves have six of them just in December. For the month, Minnesota is allowing opponents to score only 92.8 points per 100 possessions, nearly 11 fewer points than the second-best Oklahoma City.

With the turnaround, the Timberwolves are on pace to once again lead the league in defense. As of Monday, they had risen to fourth in defensive efficiency.  

One wonders if Anthony Edwards' public dressing down of the team sparked the turnaround for Minnesota. When Edwards blasted his teammates, their record was 8-10. Since then, they are 6-1 to improve to 14-1.