Timberwolves to increase pace of play?
It only makes sense that the Timberwolves should be playing at a fast pace this season given the athletes on the team, but that hasn’t always been the case.
The Timberwolves starting lineup features a pair of athletic wing players that have yet to turn 22 years of age in Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine, plus an above-average seven-footer with the handles of a guard in Karl-Anthony Towns. Playing fast makes sense, to say the least.
But through the initial 31 games of the season, the Wolves stand at just 22nd in pace, according to Basketball-Reference.com. It’s a bit surprising, although it does seem to be shifting some of late.
New head coach Tom Thibodeau is still feeling out his personnel, and the players are finally getting accustomed to a new system. Of course, the Wolves still have a decent offense: they rank middle-of-the-pack in terms of effective field goal percentage, in the top-third in offensive rating, and in the top-five in free throw attempts per field goal attempt. Their scoring lags a bit behind that, but it’s always felt like there has been some fluky bad luck affecting this season’s slow start.
Jace Frederick of TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press wrote a column discussing the team’s offensive pace, and included quotes from Thibodeau about the importance of tailoring the Wolves’ style of play to the players on the team.
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Not coincidentally, Ricky Rubio‘s assist totals have risen and turnovers have dropped of late as the Wolves have gotten out in transition more often. He’s simply much better in the open floor than in the half court, and obviously, shot attempts in transition are generally of a higher percentage than any other attempts, whether they’re in the paint or beyond the arc.
It only makes sense to ramp up the intensity, and Thibodeau correctly identifies that the best transition opportunities come off of misses from the other team — caused by great defense.
Indeed, it only seems like a matter of time before this offense is (finally) clicking on all cylinders. And it will start on the defensive end of the floor.
The upcoming schedule is favorable, too: at Denver, home against the Bucks and Portland, and road contests against the 76ers and Wizards. Of that grouping of teams, only the Trail Blazers should be expected to handle the Timberwolves with ease.
A strong end to the calendar year of 2016 would be wonderful, and there’s a solid chance that the positive vibes continue into early January of 2017.