The Minnesota Timberwolves are rolling right now and are leading the Western Conference with a 13-4 win-loss record. Although it is still early, the T-Wolves seem to be a legitimate title contender for the 2023-24 season.
Regardless, there is no denying that the Timberwolves are one of the surprise teams so far. The others are the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ironically, the Timberwolves are coming off a win over the Thunder, 106-103, on Tuesday, November 28, per ESPN.
Would it be safe to consider Minnesota as a legitimate title contender?
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Three reasons making Minnesota Timberwolves the team to watch:
1. Defense wins games.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are winning because of defense. This is a familiar phrase that many have heard time and again, a formula that successful teams use.
Considering the T-Wolves have Rudy Gobert, a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, in the lineup, it is not hard to see why. He boasts a 106.8 defensive rating and controls the boards for the T-Wolves with 11.5 rebounds per game.
Also, it is worth noting that the T-Wolves lead the league right now in terms of defensive rating with 106.6. Further, they are also second in the league with 6.5 blocks per game via NBA.com.
Aside from Gobert, Anthony Edwards is doing his share. He is averaging 1.3 steals per game, complementing his French teammate, which makes it even harder for opposing teams to set up their plays.
2. Reliable supporting cast.
Aside from Gobert and Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns has also tried his best to carry the team, while others have also contributed to the team's early success, as pointed out by SI.com.
That list includes Jaden McDaniel, Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. That cast is doing well right now, although it will be interesting to see how long they can keep up their respective contributions to keep the T-Wolves on top.
3. Putting fancied teams on notice.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have also shown that they hardly care about who they have to face, including the favorites this season. That list includes wins over the Denver Nuggets last November 1 (110-89) and the Boston Celtics on November 6 (114-109).
"Their defensive toughness outmatched our offensive toughness," Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said after losing to the T-Wolves. "Their activity and ability not to get screened kind of slowed our offense down."
The key for Minnesota is sustaining this winning formula and hoping their players remain healthy. Towns and Edwards have had their share of injuries, which has heavily influenced their past campaigns.
Edwards appears to be fine after injuring his hip on a bad fall against OKC, according to Timberwolves insider Jon Krawczysnki on "The Jon Krawczynski Show." He claims that the All-Star guard was in good spirits after that game.
"He's not seriously hurt," Krawczysnki stated. "No one believes that it's going to be an extended absence for Anthony Edwards."
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