By: Drew Mahowald

The Minnesota Timberwolves looked to end 2015 with two wins in as many days when they traveled to Detroit for a New Year's Eve contest with the Pistons. Heading into the game, the Wolves were 3-20 in their previous 23 games that were the back end of a back-to-back series.

That trend continued tonight.

The Wolves followed up a strong first quarter performance (Wolves led 22-15 after one quarter) with a dreadful second quarter in which they were outscored 30-15 en route to a 45-37 halftime deficit.

A high-scoring third quarter made the score 78-70 in favor of Detroit heading into the fourth. Detroit then used a 26-9 run to open the fourth quarter to quickly put this game away before the Wolves could even formulate a plan to get back in the game. When it was all said and done, the Timberwolves fell to the Pistons by a score of 115-90.

The difference in three-point shooting between the two squads made a big impact in the result of this game. It's no secret that Sam Mitchell has never really tried to incorporate the three-point shot in his offense this season, and tonight was no different. On the flip side, Detroit was setting up their offense in an effort to find open three-point looks. The Pistons put on a clinic of how to move the ball quickly and effectively to find open shooters.

That perimeter shooting led the early fourth-quarter surge that put the game away, Overall, the Pistons converted 14 of 35 three-point attempts, while the Timberwolves made just 5 of 14 shots from beyond the arc. The lack of value the Wolves put on perimeter shooting goes both ways. Not only do they neglect it offensively, but they also neglect to defend it.

Rebounding was another aspect of this game that Detroit dominated, gaining a 52-36 advantage on the glass over Minnesota. Not many teams will win games if they make nine less threes and grab 16 fewer rebounds than their opponent, and the Wolves are no exception.

Andre Drummond was phenomenal for the Pistons, as he has been all season. He put up 23 points (11/14 FG) and 18 rebounds in just 30 minutes of action. Drummond's physicality in the paint on both ends of the floor appeared to be something the Wolves either weren't expecting or weren't ready for, because he imposed his will when he was on the floor.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 22 points for Detroit, while Reggie Jackson added 19 and 9 assists.

Former Timberwolf Anthony Tolliver gave the Pistons a big spark off the bench, scoring all 15 of his points from three-point range and playing a key part in that early fourth-quarter run the Pistons used to put the game away.

Minnesota was led by none other than Karl-Anthony Towns, who continued his stellar play by netting 22 points (10/17 FG) and 9 rebounds. Many of his shots tonight came from the mid-range distance, an area in which he has been lethal thus far in his rookie season. I actually don't think he's missed a mid-range shot all season, but I could be wrong.

Andrew Wiggins added 21 points (8/19 FG) for the Wolves. If Wiggins can start to knock down the outside jumper at an average rate, he'll take that next step as a scorer in the NBA. Unfortunately, Wiggins is really only a threat attacking the basket at this point. (Although he is very, very good at attacking the basket)

Shabazz Muhammad once again provided a solid spark off the bench, something we've seen often from him. He talled 15 points (5/7 FG) in just 23 minutes, and one could make the argument that this game would've been a lot uglier if not for Bazz's energy when he was on the floor.

Ricky Rubio added 9 points (3/11 FG), 6 rebounds and 8 assists for Minnesota after an incredible 10-point, 17-assist performance against Utah on Wednesday.

This loss doesn't come as a large surprise on the back end of a back-to-back, but it's surely disappointing given the 22-15 first quarter lead the Wolves were able to get out to. It's just another example of a game this season in which the Wolves have played really well for just a portion of the game only to let their opponent make a run in the second half to pull away.

Quick Notes

--- Nemanja Bjelica was the first man off the bench tonight for Mitchell, which is somewhat surprising given his performance recently. However, Bjelica struggled mightily again tonight. It's a drastic difference from the first few games of the season before he missed time due to injury, and you have to wonder if there's something else going on that's causing Bjelica to look so lost on the court.

--- The three-point shooting. It's gotta happen sometime, right? The Wolves are consistently destroyed in this category night in and night out, and it's time for Mitchell to at least try to incorporate perimeter shots into his offense. Teams that shoot more threes have won more games in recent seasons, and the Wolves continue to ignore this trend.

--- Zach LaVine struggled for the second straight game after playing just 11 minutes against the Jazz on Wednesday. It almost appeared as if he was pressing, feeling like he had to do more in order to win those minutes back. It's something to keep an eye on in the next few games.

--- Minnesota's defensive rotation was dreadful tonight, and it's a reason the Pistons were able to get so many good looks from three-point range. Guys were consistently just a step late to their help assignment.

Onward

The Wolves will try to rebound from this loss on Saturday when they host the Milwaukee Bucks in a game full of young talent. As always, keep checking with us at OTP for news and analysis on all things Timberwolves and make sure to follow @ontheprowl_mn on Twitter.
​

By: Dan Slaubaugh

Happy Wednesday, Wolves fans. The Wolves play the Jazz tonight, so it's fitting that we all take a moment to remember the unforgettable. ​

'Twas a fun night at Target Center. Let's hope tonight is fun as well.

The Wolves (11-20) are coming off 4 straight losses and need to start winning some basketball games if they want any chance at playing meaningful basketball in the new year. The Jazz (13-16) have won 3 of 5 and much like the Wolves, have a very exciting team that has a chance at being very good in the future.

What: Wolves - Jazz
Where: Target Center. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
When: 7:00 pm CST
Where to watch: Fox Sports North
Where to listen: 830 WCCO Radio

What to watch for:

Towns in for big night: Rudy Gobert, one of the NBA's top shot blockers, is out for tonight's game. That leaves Derrick Favors, Trevor Booker, and Trey Lyles to try and defend Karl-Anthony Towns tonight. This should be a favorable matchup for Towns and it opens the curtains for Minnesota to dominate frontcourt play tonight. 

Wiggins-Hayward: Gordon Hayward, a 2nd tier small forward, is a pretty tough matchup for Wiggins tonight because of his size and strength. Hayward averages 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while Wiggins is averaging 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Overall, both players excel on each end of the court and whoever plays superior tonight may come out with a win. 

Bjelica struggles: The man needs a pick-me-up and the Wolves need to get him back on track. Bjelica hasn't scored since December 16 and has looked overwhelmed on the court. There's a good player in there, one that can really help this team when confident. It's up to the coaching staff to find that player again. The Wolves keep losing, so playing Bjelica 15+ minutes per night to (try to) get him back on track won't hurt anything. A couple of shots falling for him tonight may help. 

Team Leaders

Minnesota
Points: Andrew Wiggins (20.7)
Rebounds: Karl-Anthony Towns (9.4)
Assists: Ricky Rubio (8.8)
Steals: Ricky Rubio (2.3)
Blocks: Karl-Anthony Towns (1.8)

Utah
Points: Gordan Hayward (19)
Rebounds: Rudy Gobert (10.9)
Assists: Gordan Hayward (3.2)
Steals: Derrick Favors (1.5)
Blocks: Rudy Gobert (10.6)

Projected Starters

Minnesota
PG: Ricky Rubio
SG: Andrew Wiggins
SF: Tayshaun Prince
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Karl-Anthony Towns

Utah
PG: Raul Neto
SG: Rodney Hood
SF: Gordan Hayward
PF: Trey Lyles
C: Jeff Withey

Injury Report

Minnesota

OUT: Nikola Pekovic (achilles)

Utah

Questionable: Derrick Favors (back)
OUT: Alec Burks (leg)
OUT: Rudy Gobert (knee)
OUT: Dante Exum (knee)

Alrighty, that is all. This is a winnable game for Minnesota, and one that Minnesota simply needs. They've lost 4 straight and are on a downward spiral. Even though they lost Monday night at SA, they still played a very good game. It's just that hard to beat the Spurs, especially on their home court. If the Wolves play like they did Monday night, they should send fans home happy tonight. 

My prediction: Wolves defeat Jazz 108-99. Towns finishes with 26 points, 13 rebounds. 

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the game. Go Wolves. ​

​By: Dan Slaubaugh

Happy Monday, Wolves fans. How 'bout that Vikings win last night? Seriously impressive. Let's hope it's a signal they are getting hot at the right time. 

Regarding the Wolves; They're in San Antonio tonight and have to face the Spurs again. The Wolves are currently 11-19, which is the 5th worst record in the NBA, yet they are just 2 games back from the 8th spot in the Western Conference. Pretty crazy. The Spurs (26-6) are a lock to make the playoffs, and perhaps go deep. Let's just say it's going to be hard for anyone to beat them 4 times. 

What: Wolves @ Spurs
Where: AT&T Center. San Antonio, Texas.
When: 7:30 pm CST
Where to watch: Fox Sports North
Where to listen: 830 WCCO Radio

What to watch for: 

Tyus and Lavine: I'm not gonna get too fancy here. Just watch to see how they move the ball together tonight and how they play with each other. Look to see if they can give the 2nd unit some punch tonight.

Duncan-Towns: Tim Duncan is ageless and is still very effective at the age of 39. Karl-Anthony Towns is a rookie phenom who is currently leading the Rookie of the Year race. Duncan is averaging 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.43 blocks on the season while KAT is averaging 16.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Who will be superior tonight? The Big Fundamental or the Big KAT? 

Spurs defense: In the last matchup between the 2, the Spurs didn't have much trouble containing the Wolves leading scorers (Wiggins, Towns) and pretty much completely shut them down at the rim. They played great interior defense denying Wiggins several times at the rim. Of course, it didn't help the Wolves spacing was terrible. Minnesota could be in for another rough shooting night if they're spacing is reminiscent of their last matchup against SAS. 

Team Leaders

Minnesota
Points: Andrew Wiggins (20.8)
Rebounds: Karl-Anthony Towns (9.3)
Assists: Ricky Rubio (8.6)
Steals: Ricky Rubio (2.2)
Blocks: Karl-Anthony Towns (2)

San Antonio
Points: Kawhi Leonard (20.9)
Rebounds: Lamarcus Aldridge (8.8)
Assists: Tony Parker (4.9)
Steals: Kawhi Leonard (2.1)
Blocks: Tim Duncan (1.4)

Projected Starters

Minnesota
PG: Ricky Rubio
SG: Andrew Wiggins
SF: Tayshaun Prince
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Karl-Anthony Towns

San Antonio
PG: Tony Parker
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Lamarcus Alridge
C: Tim Duncan

Injury Report

Minnesota

OUT: Nikola Pekovic (achilles)

San Antonio

None

Enjoy the game tonight. Last time out, the Spurs made the Wolves look like fools with incredible ball movement and lock down defense. It won't get any easier tonight as the Spurs haven't lost at home all year. Not once. But, it's sports, so you never know. 

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the game. Go Wolves.