The Minnesota Timberwolves are having a tough time stopping other teams from scoring quickly this NBA season.
Struggles in Transition Defense:
Chris Finch’s team is at the bottom when it comes to allowing fast-break plays. According to Cleaning the Glass, 22% of their defensive plays in the first four games were during fast breaks. Last year, they were much better, ranking eighth for limiting these opportunities. But recently, the Dallas Mavericks took advantage of this weakness and won 120-114.
After the game, Anthony Edwards spoke about how small mistakes are causing problems for them. He admitted that "immature stuff" is part of why they can’t defend well on fast breaks.
"I probably play a part in that too," Edwards said. "Talking to the refs, falling on the ground and sโ. Just immature stuff, that’s probably why we don’t get back on defense."
Sometimes we think players just need more focus to fix these issues.
Roster Changes and Adjustments:
Minnesota is still getting used to its new team lineup. Losing Karl-Anthony Towns changed things a lot since he was key last season with another tall player helping in defense. Now with Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle joining, Coach Finch has to rethink strategies for both offense and defense.
Last season, they were among the top teams because they knew how to compete fiercely every night. Playing carelessly isn’t an option for teams aiming high like them.
Edwards and his teammates have plenty of time leftโ78 gamesโto fix their defensive problems. They remain one of the strongest contenders in their conference with enough talent to aim for an NBA Finals spot. However, becoming top-notch defenders is crucial if they want a real shot at winning it all!
