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.
Julius Randle’s buzzer-beater lifts Minnesota Timberwolves to comeback win over Phoenix Suns
Timberwolves Triumph: Julius Randle’s Buzzer Beater and Defensive Adjustments
The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Phoenix Suns on a Julius Randle buzzer-beater on Sunday, coming back from a double-digit deficit.
There were clear common threads between Friday’s overtime win over the Sacramento Kings and Sunday’s win over the Suns, highlighting the Wolves’ eventual need for defensive adjustments and what they had to change on the offensive side of the ball in the second half against Phoenix.
Julius Randle’s Impact and the Buzzer Beater
With the Suns putting two on the ball anytime Anthony Edwards tried to operate in the halfcourt, Randle stepped up and delivered a standout performance, culminating in a thrilling buzzer-beater. Positioned at the top of the circle, Randle capitalized on his opportunity, capping off a strong offensive performance on an afternoon when the Wolves sorely needed it.
Throughout the game, he showcased his versatility, effectively punishing mismatches and contributing significantly to the team’s offensive flow. His ability to attack off the catch and make smart decisions with the ball was evident, as he led the team in both assists and scoring.
Defensive Adjustments and Challenges
The Timberwolves faced challenges on the defensive end this weekend, particularly in containing dynamic guards like Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox on Friday and Phoenix’s Devin Booker on Sunday.
Fox’s 60-point outburst and Booker’s 44-point performance underscored the need for defensive adjustments. Initially, the team struggled to contain these players one-on-one, prompting a strategic shift. Against the Suns, the Timberwolves eventually decided to put two defenders on Booker, a tactic they had hesitated to employ against Fox. This adjustment proved effective, disrupting Booker’s rhythm and forcing the Suns to rely on other players who couldn’t match his scoring output. The decision to double-team was a crucial factor in the Timberwolves’ ability to claw back into the game and secure the win.
The team’s defensive strategy is evolving, recognizing the need to adapt against elite scorers. While the Timberwolves have strong individual defenders, the collective effort and timely adjustments are essential to their success. The ability to rotate and recover quickly, especially with Rudy Gobert anchoring the defense, is a strength they can leverage moving forward.
The Timberwolves’ recent games have been a testament to their potential and the areas they need to refine. With Randle’s impactful play and the team’s willingness to adjust defensively, there’s a lot to be optimistic about as the season progresses.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Timberwolves’ strategies and performances, tune into the Locked On Wolves podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Wolves Podcast:
- Analysis of Anthony Edwards’ performance and decision-making
- The impact of defensive strategies on game outcomes
- Upcoming matchups and what to expect from the Timberwolves
- In-depth look at the Timberwolves’ bench contributions
After historic back-to-back nights over the weekend I hope the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox is on your radar. Fox delivered a 60 point game against the Timberwolves on Friday (the Kings, after all that, could not wrestle away the win) and then 49 points against the Jazz in a winning game on Saturday. While these scoring numbers are certainly a touch more astronomical than Fox’s norm, he’s still an athlete who’s averaged 25 points per game in the last three seasons.
Beyond pure shooting, Fox is a pleasure to watch. I mean that in an artful sense, like taking your time in a gallery or museum and letting your eyes rove over every flourish and detail. Fox has a knack for hang time, able to lightly adjust his body mid-air to tweak the angle of his jumper just so. It’s a bane to defenders because it’s nearly impossible to pre-calculate where Fox will wind up releasing the ball, but it’s startling, and fun, to see.
His passing follows the same rules. Namely: his own. One hand flings and scoops to teammates running down the lane, or flashing out to the wing, dependent on the sort of timing it takes trust and seasons of practice to nail. It speaks to the cohesiveness of the Kings, a team many are still quick to dismiss from contention but who will prove a difficult team to match up against once their roster returns to full strength.
Cade Cunningham
Admittedly, I hadn’t been paying that close of attention to Cade Cunningham, even with my well documented dedication to the Detroit Pistons. I changed that last Friday when the team was in Toronto to face the Raptors, and I spent a good chunk of pregame warmups watching Cunningham run through his drills.
There’s a new level of patience to Cade, who’s been — by circumstance — forced into holding pattern since he entered the NBA. This new level filters through his game. There’s still the juddery, at times mesmerizing, stop-start motion of his handle and with it the ability to force the pace he wants in a game, but now Cade’s letting the game come to him. Where there simply isn’t time to draw out a possession, or altering one might upend his team’s momentum (momentum has been something Detroit is relying on this season, to their benefit), Cade instead adopts the rhythm of the floor in motion. Now into his forth season, his maturation is evident, and it’s winning games.
Jabari Smith
It’s felt a touch disingenuous, how down on Jabari Smith those in the wider sphere of the Houston Rockets have been this season. Yes, he’s had some slow shooting nights, and made some frustrating decisions, but he’s also come back in the games that follow those less than stellar performances and done all the right things — leading to wins.
Smith’s a third year player in the league on a franchise that only really started to get the foundation of their rebuild right last season. He’s learning to adjust to quicker pace, tighter and more effortful defence (the Rockets are the league’s best rebounders), and what it means to actually compete versus playing at the whims of a single game, on a game-to-game basis. There’s continuity showing here, and it’s great.
Smith tends to have his best rebounding games when he’s also scoring, which just tells me that energy generated on one end of the floor is essential for him at the other. It’s also true of younger players — and teams, like the Rockets — learning what it is to stay consistent through a game’s many tide-turns.
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
Preview The Knicks host the lowly Wizards at MSG tonight. Read the preview.(NBA.com)
Analysis One month into the KAT experiment, and it appears the team is struggling on defense with their newest acquisition. (The Ringer)
Biz Deep breaths. The NBA has settled its broadcast lawsuits, and “Inside the NBA” is here to stay. (Sportico)
Preview Major changes could soon be coming to the All-Star Game. (ESPN)
Analysis The “unicorn” era of Anthony Davis may be over, but could the “Lakers AD” era just be starting? (The Ringer)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Sunday’s NBA Fantasy Basketball Roundup
Nov 17, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts after being called for a foul against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images|Nick Wosika/Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
As we dive into the latest NBA action, it’s clear that Sunday was packed with intriguing performances and unexpected developments. With 10 games on the schedule, there was no shortage of excitement and fantasy implications to unpack.
Injury Updates and Opportunities
The Sacramento Kings are dealing with some significant injury news. Domantas Sabonis, usually a reliable presence, is doubtful with a back issue, potentially missing his second consecutive game. This opens up opportunities for players like Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles to step up. Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan is officially out for his third consecutive game.
Key Performances and Fantasy Implications
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ victory over the Phoenix Suns highlighted some strategic missteps by the Suns. Starting Mason Plumlee and Jusuf Nurkic together against Minnesota’s big lineup didn’t pay off, with Nurkic playing only 14 minutes. His inconsistent performances make him a risky fantasy option, as his playing time and production fluctuate wildly.
On the Timberwolves’ side, Mike Conley’s increased minutes are worth noting. While his scoring was minimal, his contributions in other areas helped secure the win. Naz Reid, despite his scoring potential, continues to struggle defensively, which could limit his fantasy upside.
Click the button below to see why one of KD’s newest running mates could be worth a look, and how Charlotte’s injury concerns will affect your lineup.
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?
