Short home stand = more wins?

By: Jonah Sprinkel

The Minnesota Timberwolves will finally have their first home stand of the 2017-18 season. Though it’s only two games it could not come at a better time as the team is riding high on a three-game win streak. With all those wins coming down to the wire, the Wolves are starting to make a habit out of clutch finishes. It’s safe to say that Wolves fans have not seen a team capable of closing games in many moons. As the Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets come to town this weekend this team must defend home court to maintain their control on top of the Northwest division.
 
Dallas Mavericks @ Minnesota Timberwolves
When: Saturday, 11/4, 7:00 PM
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Where to watch: Fox Sports North
Where to listen: 830 WCCO

 The Dallas Mavericks are bad. Like really, really bad. At 1-8 this team is a shell of the perennial playoff team NBA fans are used to seeing. This is due to simply not having enough talent to compete night in and night out. With their franchise icon, Dirk Nowitzki quickly approaching 40 years of age, the Mavericks are currently in flux as they search for someone to lead their franchise into the future. That player might be the high-flying Dennis Smith Jr., but as a rookie in the NBA he’s only good for highlight reel dunks at this point.
Through nine games the Mavericks rank 23rd in offensive rating and 28th in defensive rating. When your best lineup is Dennis Smith Jr., Wes Matthews, Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki and Nerlens Noel it’s going to be extremely difficult to hang with almost any team in the NBA. That lineup has only managed to play four games together and have a +/- of 0.8. Yikes.

Three quick things

Karl rebounds
After playing for 22 minutes and posting two points, five rebounds, one steal, two blocks and five fouls KAT will surely look to reestablish his game against one of the worst defenses in the league. The Wolves probably don’t need him to go for 35 and 15 in order to win, but KAT always seems to turn it up a notch after a poor outing.
 
Gorgui showing up
Through the first seven games of the year Dieng was disappointing by just about every measurement. He averaged 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and one turnover on 51.7% from the field. He only posted a positive +/- in the game against Utah. It would seem that Karl’s foul trouble against the Pelicans allowed Gorgui to finally wake up by posting 12 points, eight rebounds, and two assists while even banging in a corner three. Here’s to Gorgui becoming a true bench force.
 
Give Belly all the minutes
Nemanja Bjelica is currently shooting 59.1% from beyond the arc. Now I’m not saying he is the next Steph Curry, but Belly is the next Steph Curry. Thibs, I beg of you, let this man dial it up from long range as many times as possible.  Realistically, the Wolves are in desperate need of a reliable three-point shooter as they rank 25th in the league in three-pointers made. Belly might just be part of the solution.

Starting lineups

Dallas: PG Dennis Smith Jr., PG Wes Matthews, SF Harrison Barnes, PF Nerlens Noel and C Dirk Nowitzki

Minnesota: PG Jeff Teague, SG Jimmy Butler, SF Andrew Wiggins, PF Taj Gibson, C Karl-Anthony Towns

Prediction

Wolves win 115-100. The “Big 3” combine for 65+ points and Professor Big Shots continues to shoot flames out of his hands.
 
 
Charlotte Hornets @ Minnesota Timberwolves
When: Sunday, 11/5, 7:00 PM
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Where to watch: Fox Sports North
Where to listen: 830 WCCO

The Hornets currently rank 20th in the league in offensive rating. However, they, the Grizzlies and the Jazz are the only three teams in the league to post a positive net rating while maintaining an offensive rating under 106. The Hornets are a true team based around communication, togetherness and a system. It should be interesting to see how well the Wolves perform against a well-disciplined team. Last time, against the Spurs, it did not go so well.
Of all the 5-man lineups to play more than 10 minutes a night in five or more games the Hornets starting lineup ranks second in the league in field goal percentage trailing only the Golden State Warriors. They also rank third in three point percentage though their attempts aren’t quite on par with the other teams around them.

Three quick things

Towns v Howard
The Hornets are the best rebounding team in the league thanks to Dwight Howard’s 14.4 rebounds a game. 3.9 of those rebounds are offensive. That’s a lot of extra possessions. However, there’s something a little more intimidating. When Howard is on the floor the Hornets have an offensive rating of 110.3 and a defensive rating of 97.1. When he’s off the floor the offensive rating plummets to 92.8 while the defensive rating rises to 106.0.
Howard may not be the destroyer of worlds that he once was but Towns has his work cut out for him come Sunday.

Wolves defending Kemba Walker
Walker continues to improve even in his seventh year in the league. Through eight games the former Husky has increased his per game averages in points, assists, free throw percentage, three-point percentage and field goal percentage. All while using fewer possessions per game than he did last season.
 
Defense?
Don’t look now but the Wolves have moved up one spot to become only the second worst defense in the league behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.
All joking aside the Wolves did hold the Pelicans, a team who scores 107 points per game, to 98 points on 42.9 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from deep. Yes, the Wolves have a long way to go before they resemble any of Thibs past teams. But, a performance like that is slightly encouraging.

Starting lineups

Charlotte: PG Kemba Walker, SG Jeremy Lamb, SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, PF Marvin Williams, C Dwight Howard
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Minnesota: PG Jeff Teague, SG Jimmy Butler, SF Andrew Wiggins, PF Taj Gibson, C Karl-Anthony Towns
 
Prediction

The Wolves finish their weekend strong and complete the five game win streak by defeating the Hornets 105-102.