It’s time for the Timberwolves to change their starting lineup

The Minnesota Timberwolves entered the 2024-25 season with high hopes after their impressive playoff run last year. But as the season approaches its quarter, the Timberwolves are not living up to expectations.

With an 8-8 record and facing the league’s eighth-easiest scheduleare they currently outside the play-in tournament picture.

Minnesota has suffered several disappointing losses, including a back-to-back loss to the rebuilding Trail Blazers and a setback to the struggling Raptors. Also, Minnesota has only two wins against teams with winning records – a narrow three-point win over the Nuggets and another close game against the Suns.

The Timberwolves’ early-season funk can no longer simply be written off as a post-Karl-Anthony Towns malaise. It’s time for head coach Chris Finch to make a change in the starting line-up.

Jaden McDaniels has been a major concern for the T-wolves this year. He is averaging just 10.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. game while shooting a disappointing 31.7% from beyond the arc. This is especially worrying given the quality of his appearance; 3.3 of his 3.9 three-point attempts per match has been completely open (no defender with six feet).

Opposing defenses routinely drop McDaniels to block driving lanes for Anthony Edwards, effectively stifling Minnesota’s offense. His inability to capitalize on well-executed opportunities has been deflated and seems to bleed into the team’s defensive energy, creating a ripple effect on both ends of the floor.

McDaniels’ on/off splits have been ugly. The Timberwolves are 13.4 points worse per 100 possessions with him on the floor. While plus/minus stats can sometimes be noisy — especially for defensive specialists who often match up with the top scorers in the league — McDaniels’ individual defense appears to have taken a noticeable step back this season.

His top four assignments by possessions — De’Aaron Fox, Scoot Henderson, Luka Doncic and Tyler Herro — have all shot over 57.0% when matched against him. On the year, McDaniels allows his opponents to shoot 2.4% higher than their season average.

The Timberwolves’ offensive spacing has been destroyed with McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle — three subpar shooters — sharing the floor. This has forced Edwards to adapt his game. While his scoring remains stellar with an average of 27.9 points per game. contest on an impressive 43.8% shooting from deep across 11.1 attempts a night, Edwards’ playmaking has dropped noticeably.

His assists are down to 3.9 per match. Instead of relentlessly attacking the rim and creating opportunities for teammates as he did last season, Edwards is averaging just 12.4 drives per game. competition — a significant drop from his previous output.

Edwards has been forced to take a large amount of contested shots, with its 11.4 pull-up jumpers per game for third place in the NBA — a clear reflection of the defensive pressure he faces. While he is a capable shooter, relying on difficult perimeter looks diminishes his effectiveness as a scorer and playmaker.

Every time Edwards settles for a tough jumper instead of attacking the basket, fouling and collapsing the defense, it’s a win for the opponent. This limits his overall influence and makes life easier for defenders, allowing them to conserve energy for their offensive possessions.

Head coach Chris Finch has stubbornly stuck with a starting lineup of three non-shooters, but McDaniels’ struggles on both ends of the floor necessitate a change. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who leads all T-wolves regular rotation players in three-point shooting at 44.4%, could be the answer.

Alexander-Walker’s 2.6 deflections per game highlight his status as Minnesota’s most disruptive defender, and his shooting ability would provide much-needed spacing for the offense. Inserting him into the starting lineup could reinvigorate the Timberwolves’ stagnant offense and give Edwards the space he needs to operate and get into the lane.