Life without Karl-Anthony Towns has undoubtedly posed significant challenges for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team’s offensive and defensive strategies underwent substantial changes when KAT moved to the New York Knicks, and getting back to elite contender status has proven to be a tough and ongoing process.
While the eye test indicates the Wolves need improvement in several key areas, advanced statistics offer deeper insights that complement what we observe. Synergy Basketball analyst Todd Whitehead recently shared some revealing data on social media that provides a clearer picture.
Whitehead posted a chart showing how each NBA team is performing in terms of stretching defenses. The chart measures the distance that an opposing team’s rim protector stands from the basket during a shot attempt this season, with comparisons to the same data from the 2023-24 season.
“The Knicks are doing a better job pulling rim protectors away from the basket this season,” pic.twitter.com/AnbetdqzQ8
— Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) December 10, 2024
Wolves Are Drawing Rim Protectors Away From the Hoop More Effectively
Last season, the Boston Celtics were dominant in this area. With Kristaps Porzingis starting at center and the effectiveness of Joe Mazzulla’s five-out offense, the Celtics’ ability to pull rim protectors away from the basket played a key role in their success, especially in the playoffs.
However, the latest data shows that many other teams have caught up to the Celtics. Since acquiring Towns, the Knicks have risen from last place in this statistic to fourth. Clearly, KAT’s floor spacing ability has helped pull opposing centers away from the hoop more consistently.
Given this trend, one might assume that the Timberwolves would have regressed in this area. Surprisingly, they have not. In fact, Minnesota has made significant strides, moving from 25th last season to 12th this year. This improvement is especially surprising considering that Julius Randle isn’t the same versatile, defense-shifting offensive player that KAT is.
Rudy Gobert has also not made any progress in his three-point shooting or floor spacing ability. However, this could be attributed to the fact that many teams in the league are now emulating the Celtics’ strategies. Regardless, this trend signals positive progress for the Timberwolves as they continue to refine their play.
