Hoops Habit
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Minnesota Timberwolves: Who’s prowling and who’s panting

By James Grieco

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 19: Taj Gibson #67, Karl-Anthony Towns #32, Derrick Rose #25 and head coach Tom Tibodeau of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts as Rose is called for a technical foul during the third quarter of the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 19, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Cavaliers 131-123. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 19: Taj Gibson #67, Karl-Anthony Towns #32, Derrick Rose #25 and head coach Tom Tibodeau of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts as Rose is called for a technical foul during the third quarter of the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 19, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Cavaliers 131-123. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Panting: Derrick Rose, shooter

Still, not everything with Rose is all sunshine and rainbows. For all the playmaking he has shown, his overall shot selection remains poor, as does his shooting itself. Looking at his 2018-19 shot chart thus far, it’s almost all red once he leaves the paint.

His lethality on drives is mitigated when he’s only taking 44.7 percent of his shots within 10 feet of the basket. Derrick Rose is shooting under 30 percent from 3 for his career, but he insists on taking those shots — many of them off the dribble too.

On shots between 10-16 feet from the basket, he’s currently shooting 30 percent, on long 2s he’s somehow shooting 41.7 percent and on 3s he’s shooting 26.7 percent. For a guy who has a higher usage rate than Karl-Anthony Towns and starting point guard Jeff Teague, it’s hard to fathom why Rose is jacking up so many contested mid-range jumpers.

Worse than his habit of doing it is how Thibodeau reacts to the shots — quietly. Rose has been on the floor in crunch time every single game this season and even had the nerve to take the last (meaningful) shot of the game against the Sand Antonio Spurs in the season opener (he missed a contested layup going away from the basket and the Spurs would clinch the victory on free throws the next possession).

Rose is playing 28.6 minutes per game off the bench and hasn’t been pulled for a bad shot once this year. If that isn’t Thibodeau condoning his shot selection, I don’t know what else it logically could be.

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