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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 Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Panting: The Timberwolves’ interior defense and rebounding

The Timberwolves’ 22nd-ranked defense has largely been due to their porous interior play. Starters Taj Gibson and Karl-Anthony Towns have net ratings of -19.2 and -10.7, respectively.

LaMarcus Aldridge torched the combo for 21 points and 19 rebounds. DeAndre Jordan went for 22 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks. Kevin Love went off for 25 points and 19 rebounds. Even the decay of Serge Ibaka poured in 15 points on 10 shots against Towns and Gibson.

With the exception of the marvelous game against Indiana, Minnesota has witnessed its opponents grab 11, 13, 15 and 19 offense rebounds already this season. Per Basketball-Reference, the team’s 69.2 percent defensive rebound percentage is 29th in the league.

Towns, as mentioned before, has not been good. Neither Gibson nor Anthony Tolliver has ever averaged more than 7.5 rebounds per game in their careers. Both vets know the game, but they have been exposed under the basket by almost every big man they’ve seen this year.

Gorgui Dieng, the big who has played the best for Minnesota this year, is only getting 15.8 minutes per game and has not been on the floor in crunch time yet. It’s no wonder the Wolves are allowing 48.4 points in the paint per game and seeing opponents shoot a sky-high 61.6 percent on 2s — 27th in the NBA.

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