The Minnesota Timberwolves are navigating a rocky patch in March, posting a middling 6-5 record. After a promising start with three wins, they’ve since gone 3-5. The Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets both have 43-28 records, but the Wolves are currently sixth in the Western Conference due to a tiebreaker. They are just a half-game behind the fourth-seeded Houston Rockets.
Home court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs remains a possibility. To climb to fourth, the Timberwolves must reverse two trends from March: offensive rebounding and turnovers.
Rebounding Struggles Plague Timberwolves
Allowing opponents second chances has become a significant problem for Minnesota in March. Chris Finch addressed this issue after their loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. He singled out Julius Randle, stating, “We knew our guards needed to rebound. Ayo did a good job on the defensive glass, Rudy did a good job, but after that…Julius has 3 defensive rebounds. That’s not good enough.”
While Randle needs to increase his effort, the issue extends to the entire team. In their 11 games this month, Minnesota has surrendered 144 offensive rebounds while securing only 109. In March, the Timberwolves have secured less offensive rebounds than their opposition in nine games. They equaled their opponent’s output in one game. Meaning they only have one game this month where they have outrebounded the opponent on the offensive glass.
Prior to March, Minnesota held a narrow 682-677 lead in total offensive rebounds through 60 games.
Turnover Troubles Hamper Minnesota
Turnovers have also been problematic for Minnesota this month. The Timberwolves are averaging 16.3 turnovers per game in March. This includes a 25-turnover performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder, just one shy of a season-high. They are only forcing their opponent into 13.5 per game.
In their first 60 games, Minnesota averaged 14.7 turnovers, while their opponents averaged 15.2. These numbers have shifted considerably in March.
Impact on Field Goal Attempts
The combination of rebounding and turnover deficits has resulted in opponents getting more field goal attempts. While Minnesota’s shooting percentage is better from the field and from 3-point distance, their opponents are getting up 6.6 more shots per game in March.
With 11 regular season games remaining, the Timberwolves must address their offensive rebounding and turnover issues. Failure to do so could jeopardise their chances of a deep playoff run.