NFL
By: Randall Gimm
Timberwolves’ head coach, Chris Finch just about always says the right things about what he sees wrong with the Timberwolves. But, after 12 games, I believe it is about time to ask why those issues still need to be corrected.
The issues at the top of my list include D’Angelo Russell’s performance running the offense, Rudy Gobert’s fit on offense, and the level of accountability being practiced by this roster.
D’Angelo Russell is shooting 38.3% from the field on a total of 154 attempts. On the road, it is a little bit worse, he is shooting 9-30 total field goal attempts. Last night, the Timberwolves played against the Pheonix Suns, and Devin Booker earned a technical foul for using some choice words towards the Timberwolves bench that helps me lead into my next point.
Booker told the Timberwolves bench, “We play team basketball, we share the ball”. Booker could earn a spot as an assistant on the Timberwolves’ bench with that key piece of information. The Suns went on the pummel the Timberwolves 129-117. The Timberwolves are decent at sharing the ball with 26.3 assists per game (ranked 9th in the league). But, with as much talent that this roster has, moving the ball should be a must for this team.
In the season opener, the Timberwolves took on the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the first half, they had 17 assists on 25 field goals made. In the second half of their win over the San Antonio Spurs, they had 22 assists on 25 field goals. In the first half of their matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, they had 18 assists on 21 field goals. All of those examples resulted in victories for the Timberwolves.
This is where I place some responsibility on D’Angelo Russell. He needs to be the bridge between Chris Finch on the bench and the rest of the 4 players on the court, like any good point guard should be. Emphasis on ball movement and shifting opposing defenses should be priority number one for this Wolves squad. And that begins with Russell bringing the ball up the court. It is time that he becomes a floor general and proves to front offices everywhere that he can be worth a lucrative contract. As I mentioned above, this team has so much talent that the ball will find the right person if moved properly.
But how does Rudy Gobert fall into that offensive ball movement? Well, he is most effective in the dribble handoff, high screen and roll, and setting backdoor screens to force a switch and get into his post seal. Right now, I’ve seen him just trying to post-seal like he is the biggest kid on a middle school basketball team. This is the NBA. Even the smallest players know how to defend against a post-seal, and offensive fouls are called so often nowadays that post-sealing is not the most effective route to score. 
With Gobert resorting to that so often, that makes me think that there are no set guidelines or principles for Chris Finch’s offense. Last night, after their defeat to the Suns, he said, “When the game starts slipping away, we want it back in one play”. He also said, “Surviving the adversity is what the issue is”. If a head coach’s message is clear and definite, it is easier for the team to hold one another accountable. If it is not clear, you might see individuals trying to impose their will on the game in their own way. We are seeing the latter on a regular basis now.
This team has the most fun when they are sharing the ball and supporting one another. It is time for this roster to hold each other accountable, and since the departure of Patrick Beverley in his trade to Utah and then Los Angeles (Lakers), who will be the one to speak up and start that trend?
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