Ben Beecken here, the host of the daily Locked On Wolves podcast, with your daily Locked On Wolves newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Wolves and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Why the Minnesota Timberwolves’ start to the season is encouraging + start of the NBA Cup
Timberwolves’ Resilience: A Closer Look at the Season’s Start
While the Minnesota Timberwolves lost in disappointing fashion on Sunday, collapsing late in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat, the first 10 games of the season have gone better than it might seem at first glance.
While Sunday’s loss was disappointing, it’s crucial to focus on the broader picture. The Timberwolves currently boast a top 10 offense and defense, which is a testament to their potential as a true contender.
Analyzing the Timberwolves’ Performance
Through the first 10 games, the Timberwolves have maintained a 6-4 record, with a Pythagorean win total suggesting they should be 7-3. This indicates that their performance, based on point differential, is better than their current record reflects. The team has shown resilience, and the loss to Miami, while frustrating, doesn’t signify a trend of late-game collapses. Instead, it highlights areas for improvement, such as substitution patterns and execution in critical moments.
The Timberwolves’ offensive and defensive ratings are impressive, ranking ninth and tenth, respectively. The offense has exceeded expectations, especially considering last season’s struggles on that end of the floor. The team’s ability to shoot threes effectively, ranking third in 3-point rate and fifth in percentage, is a significant strength. However, there’s room for growth in free throw rate and turnover management, areas that could elevate their game further.
Looking Ahead: NBA Cup and City Edition Jerseys
As the Timberwolves prepare for their first NBA Cup game against the Portland Trail Blazers, there’s optimism about their chances in a relatively favorable group. The group includes the Rockets, Kings, Clippers, and Blazers, none of which were considered top contenders before the season.
Additionally, the unveiling of the new Nike City Edition jerseys has generated excitement. The jerseys, with their white base and blue accents, represent icy Minnesota lake in the winter and are a continuation of last year’s theme, which were modeled after Minnesota’s lakes in the summer. Coupled with a new court design, there’s already plenty of anticipation to see the new look in action.
The Timberwolves’ journey this season is just beginning, and there’s much to look forward to. For more insights and a deeper dive into the Timberwolves’ strategies and upcoming games, tune into the Locked On Wolves podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Wolves Podcast:
- Detailed analysis of the Timberwolves’ offensive and defensive strategies
- Insights into the NBA Cup group stage and its implications
- A closer look at the new Nike City Edition jerseys and their significance
- Discussion on individual player performances and areas for improvement
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center.|Photo by Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action featured five games, each packed with performances and injury updates that could reshape your fantasy basketball strategy.
Injury Updates Affecting Lineups
Damian Lillard’s entry into concussion protocol means he’ll miss Tuesday’s game, with a slim chance of returning by Wednesday. This quick turnaround is unusual, so keep an eye on updates. Meanwhile, Gary Trent Jr. is still dealing with back spasms, and despite his fantasy position eligibility, he’s not a point guard, averaging only two assists per game. The Milwaukee Bucks are experimenting with their lineup, with Pat Connaughton and Ryan Rollins as potential backup point guards. Giannis Antetokounmpo can handle point guard duties, but he needs support, especially with Khris Middleton unavailable.
Zion Williamson’s injury update is a blow to fantasy managers. He’s expected to be out for four to six weeks, longer than initially anticipated. If you have an IR spot, hold onto him, but be prepared for a potentially extended absence. Malik Monk’s ankle injury will keep him out for at least two weeks, affecting the Sacramento Kings’ lineup. Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis could see increased value in the short term.
Game Highlights and Player Performances
The San Antonio Spurs pulled off a surprising 116-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Victor Wembanyama was the standout performer, delivering a stellar 34 points and 14 rebounds, solidifying his status as a top fantasy player. De’Aaron Fox’s assist numbers are concerning, especially with DeMar DeRozan’s arrival affecting his role. DeRozan’s on-court fit with the Kings remains a question mark. Kevin Huerter’s inconsistency continues, and while he had a hot streak, his recent performance was lacklustre. Keegan Murray’s struggles are evident, and I don’t see him breaking into the top 75 players this season.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Watch Check out the latest Timberwolves podcast as they dive into Anthony Edwards’ progression and the team’s dynamics with Chris Finch, Mike Conley, and Rudy Gobert.
Preview The Timberwolves are set to face the Trail Blazers in their first NBA Cup game. Minnesota aims to kick off the new tournament with a strong performance.
Injury The NBA has a ‘missing stars’ problem with injuries piling up faster than normal. (Yahoo! Sports)
Rumor Did Giannis Antetokounmpo’s fake handshake prank launch a new NBA rivalry?
Preview The tiny town and legendary 1980s NBA team that built NBA Draft phenom Cooper Flagg (ESPN)
League At Large
League At Large
In defense of the NBA In-Season Tournament
The second annual NBA In-Season Tournament/much catchier ‘NBA Cup’ begins tonight, kicking off roughly a month of tournament games that fall on Tuesdays and Fridays. Then, we get into the quarterfinals and conference semifinals, the rules of which I am still not 100% clear on and am not ashamed to admit.
The newness of the Cup is what makes people skeptical of it. It’s what made me skeptical of it last season. It’s difficult to introduce new things into competitive ecosystems that seem largely “set”, which is why it happens rarely. My skepticism of the tournament came from the need to gameify what is already a game, but then I thought about how often the “product” of the NBA (e.g. basketball) gets complained about and realized the league was trying something. Trying something different versus just complaining about what already exists for the sake of griping is also rare.
Part of the fun of the tournament in its current, very green iteration, is its messiness. Last season, athletes were clear about how they, too, were stumped on the rules. How did the point system work? What were the knockout rules? Why were the custom courts so garish? But for the most part, players leaned into it. Did the Lakers lean a little too hard into it by hanging the In-Season Tournament banner in the rafters? Absolutely. But these are Tuesday night games in November — nothing about them should be sacrosanct.
A genuine lift I noticed and liked about last season’s tournament, and my real point of defense, is how these games operated as additional runway for a handful of teams on the verge. The In-Season Tournament was where we started to see the Pacers flourish and use the breakneck speed that went on to become a critical component of their entirely unique offense. The Pelicans also treated the tournament as something different, approaching the games like an escape from the early season injury woes that derailed them (unfortunately in a very cruel deja vu, we’re seeing the same thing this season). There’s going to be more emerging teams and play styles showing themselves this time around.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Wolves podcasts.
Common threads between Minnesota Timberwolves’ best lineups + keeping the offense top 10 The Minnesota Timberwolves have had a solid start to the season overall, but there are some surprising threads among their best lineup combinations. Plus, how can the Wolves keep their offense in the NBA’s top 10?
Julius Randle’s buzzer-beater lifts Minnesota Timberwolves to comeback win over Phoenix Suns The Minnesota Timberwolves came back from a double-digit deficit to beat the Phoenix Suns on a Julius Randle buzzer-beater. Ben Beecken (@bbeecken) breaks down how the Wolves got there, from their failures to guard Booker to finally figuring out how to deal with the Suns’ aggressive defense on Anthony Edwards.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a point guard problem - but what’s the solution? The Minnesota Timberwolves have a point guard problem. But if Mike Conley is part of the problem, then what’s the realistic solution that Chris Finch and the Wolves might be able to turn to?
