On Feb. 21, 2021, the Minnesota Timberwolves fired coach Ryan Saunders mid-season after a loss dropped the Timberwolves to the worst record in the NBA. In a move with almost zero precedent, Minnesota had his long-term replacement already picked out — Toronto Raptors assistant Chris Finch. 

Finch took over a floundering team and led them to a relatively respectable 16-25 record over the rest of the season. 

This season, everything has changed. The Wolves currently sit in the seventh seed of the Western Conference with a 42-31 record and, for the first time since the days of Kevin Garnett, the Timberwolves have some direction.

The franchise cornerstone has been Karl-Anthony Towns (KAT) since he was drafted first overall in 2015, and his contributions have always been present — his career averages are 23.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on 52.7/39.7/83.4 splits. He is already probably the best big man shooter of all time; this season, he’s making five 3-pointers per game at a 41.1% clip. The concern with Towns has never been his offense, it has been whether a competent defense and winning team could be built around his unique skillset. 

The other pieces around Towns are Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, two very different players who complement his skills. In only his second year, Edwards is a supercharged downhill weapon with incredible athleticism and budding shot-making skills. While Towns is the offensive fulcrum, Edwards is more than capable of creating his own shot at any time, freeing up KAT for easier opportunities and fewer double teams. 

Russell has a similar effect, but in a different way. His playmaking has blossomed next to two top-tier scorers — he’s averaging a career-high 7.1 assists per game. In addition, while he and Edwards have similar 3-point percentages (both around 35%), Russell has deep range similar to Trae Young and Damian Lillard, regularly taking pull-up shots from well beyond the 3-point line. This also adds more spacing to Minnesota’s offense. Both players act as regular pick and roll partners, allowing Towns to avoid double teams and giving him space to operate.

Offense was never the question for Minnesota, though. With their fully healthy team this year, the Timberwolves rank sixth in the league in offensive rating, which is not surprising. What is surprising, however, is their defense. Minnesota boasts the league’s 12th best defensive rating, which is very impressive – the team’s three best players are all, at best, average defenders. 

The Timberwolves countered this weakness in a very smart way. First, they re-signed young defensive ace Jarred Vanderbilt and held onto Jaden McDaniels. The two are exactly what you want in wing role players today — they are big (6’9”), athletic, versatile and don’t demand the ball on offense to be effective. They’re perfect complements for their defensively challenged stars. 

Then, Minnesota made one more move. They shipped out disappointing lottery pick Jarrett Culver and brought back defensive stalwart and league-wide annoyance Patrick Beverley. Beverley has played a critical role in containing opposing teams’ star guards, and he and Edwards have brought a real swagger to this team, which it sorely needed.

Head Coach Chris Finch has done a great job utilizing the talent he’s been given. Since Towns is not a great rim protector and Minnesota has ample perimeter stoppers, Finch has implemented a highly aggressive defensive system. The Timberwolves’ guards pick up much further outside the arc than most, and this results in a ton of turnovers — Minnesota forces the second-most turnovers in the league on 14.1% of opponents’ possessions. This also allows them to get out in transition, where athletes like Edwards and McDaniels thrive. Minnesota also has the league’s second fastest pace. Overall, it’s been a great coaching job from Finch in his first full year.

The Timberwolves have not made the playoffs since Jimmy Butler’s one real season in Minnesota, when they snuck in as the eighth seed and were promptly flattened by James Harden’s Rockets in five games. Before then, you have to go back to Kevin Garnett’s time in Minnesota to find any success for the franchise. 

When Butler forced his way out, he called Towns and the rest of the team soft. This year’s team is anything but that — they’re bringing some fire to icey Minnesota. Watch out for the Timberwolves in the playoffs this season; they’ll give some contenders a run for their money. Behind Towns, Edwards, Russell and company, something is brewing in Minnesota.
Tim Brennan is a sophomore in the McDonough School of Business. Around the Association appears online and in print every other week.