Timberwolves’ fatal flaw that will doom them in 2024 NBA Playoffs

The Wolves’ shot an astounding 38.7% from three this season. That ranked third-best in the entire NBA just behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics. While their efficiency suggests elite shooting, the volume of attempts does not.

Minnesota shot 32.7 threes per game this season. That number ranked 23rd across the association. Behind the Wolves’ lower volume of triples is their roster construction. 

The Timberwolves often employ two non-shooters, typically Rudy Gobert at the center spot and forward Kyle Anderson. The usage of Kyle Anderson predominantly as a small forward this year — rather than a power forward — limits the likelihood of deep-range shots from the wing.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who is a dominant shooter, also is at times reluctant to pull the trigger from deep. This season, KAT shot just 5.3 triples per game compared to his 10.1 two-point attempts. Denver’s greatest weakness is the math game. The Nuggets ranked dead last in 3PA this season averaging just 31.2 attempts per game. The Wolves’ slim margin doesn’t give them as much of an edge over the Nuggets as possible.

This lack of total volume will be extremely detrimental to the Wolves’ offensive attack against the reigning champs. Denver’s greatest defensive flaw is the pick-and-pop game against Jokic. While greatly improved defensively, Joker still is liable to allowing a ton of wide-open catch and shoots when involved in ball screens. However, Minnesota’s personnel might not be equipped well to punish this.

Playing in traffic

With the Wolves, at times, passing up open triples, the end result tends to not be pretty. When the ball movement and offensive flow isn’t right, the plan of attack turns into a bogged down offense over-relying on talent.

Far too often this season, the Wolves have caught themselves playing in a crowd. These possessions turn into live-ball turnovers and heavily contested two-point attempts around the painted area. On the year, Minnesota ranked near the bottom of the NBA in ball security. Averaging 14.2 turnovers, the Wolves’ offense is liable to giving up points in transition and dampening the impact of their elite halfcourt defense.

This postseason for the Wolves will be defined by their matchup with the Nuggets. A trip to the Western Conference Finals completely justifies the Gobert trade and accomplishes a feat the franchise hasn’t seen for two decades. If Minnesota beats Denver, it will be on the backs of their elite defense and an increase in three-point volume.