{"id":11661,"date":"2017-12-15T07:20:41","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T12:20:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=11661"},"modified":"2017-12-15T01:19:26","modified_gmt":"2017-12-15T06:19:26","slug":"wolves-western-conference-contender","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2017\/12\/15\/wolves-western-conference-contender\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Timberwolves Are Most Frustrating Western Conference Contender"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> are a hard team to figure out and are the most frustrating Western Conference contender.<\/p>\n

On the one hand, the Timberwolves currently occupy the fourth spot in the Western Conference\u00a0\u2014 one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets<\/a> in the win column\u00a0\u2014 and three games behind the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> in the win column for the third seed.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, Minnesota has plenty of question marks that could test their playoff aspirations in March and April. \u00a0A lot has to change for the Timberwolves to end their 13-year playoff drought. But 28 games into the season, there are plenty of reasons to both like their chances\u00a0and question their ability to sustain this early season pace.<\/p>\n

Minnesota Timberwolves Are Most Frustrating Western Conference Contender<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Lackadaisical Defense<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For a team that is coached by defensive wizard Tom Thibodeau<\/strong>, the Timberwolves have not played a whole lot of defense this season. \u00a0Minnesota is ranked 24th in defensive rating (107.7). \u00a0They are even worse when teams\u00a0run the floor and especially in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

First, the Timberwolves have allowed opponents\u00a0to shoot 59 percent from the field when they run their transition offense, the highest rate in the league. Then during the all-important fourth quarter, the T-Wolves own the league’s worst defensive rating (114.7).<\/p>\n

Minnesota’s inability to get stops in the final quarter was on display again on Wednesday. With the nation watching on ESPN, the Timberwolves squandered a six-point lead with 3:22 to go at home against the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>. Jimmy Butler<\/a><\/strong> hit some clutch three-pointers\u00a0to force overtime, but the 76ers outscored Minnesota 18-12 in the extra frame and won the game, 118-112.<\/p>\n

Despite playing good defense for most of the second half, the Timberwolves could not get stops when they needed them the most. Philadelphia scored on each of its final six possessions in regulation and took advantage of soft interior defense in overtime.<\/p>\n

Ben Simmons<\/a> <\/strong>scored numerous times on cuts to the rim. The Timberwolves displayed a lack of awareness, leaving Dario Saric<\/a><\/strong> and others wide open on the perimeter for threes. When Philly ran the offense through Joel Embiid<\/a><\/strong>, the Timberwolves’ issues were particularly exploited.<\/p>\n