3 minutes and 55 seconds of dominant Minnesota Timberwolves defense vs. Boston

[Im Still Ballin]

There are already two Minnesota defense threads but this video deserves its own one. Defensive highlights are way more entertaining to me. The game of basketball is designed to put the defense at a disadvantage, especially in this era. It's cool to see a team of guys dominating games on the defensive end and locking up the #1 offense.

https://streamable.com/0ltr77

[Im Still Ballin]

BONUS: Rudy no longer has to leave perimeter shooters off the ball to cover for others. He can trust his teammates to cover their individual matchups and rotate to protect the paint.

https://twitter.com/Huncho_Jman/stat...126906554?s=20

[dirkdiggler41]

It is interesting to see how Gobert is playing here. It is so natural for him to leave Porzingis. I'm a bit surprised that P did not choose to shoot or just drive hard. He just ended up hesitating. Still good job by Gobert to keep up. If this works well we might see a comeback for two shotblockers. Instead of 4 wings and one big.

[Xiao Yao You]

It is interesting to see how Gobert is playing here. It is so natural for him to leave Porzingis. I'm a bit surprised that P did not choose to shoot or just drive hard. He just ended up hesitating. Still good job by Gobert to keep up. If this works well we might see a comeback for two shotblockers. Instead of 4 wings and one big.

You got to have the right players. There's only one Gobert, McDaniels and Ant. Cleveland has a couple but they couldn't make it work with 3 and Lauri. Jazz have been playing 3 bigs but their D has sucked since Gobert left despite Kessler being touted as just as good which he's not even close

[Akeem34TheDream]

Timberwolves looking hella sexy with that defense. Only Celtics have a better starting line up imo. I really like their chances.

[Xiao Yao You]

BONUS: Rudy no longer has to leave perimeter shooters off the ball to cover for others. He can trust his teammates to cover their individual matchups and rotate to protect the paint.

https://twitter.com/Huncho_Jman/stat...126906554?s=20

he's on the perimeter pretty much that whole video. Gobert on the perimeter was never the problem. Gobert trying to guard the perimeter and the rim at the same time because he had little help was the problem as I've said all along

[Im Still Ballin]

It is interesting to see how Gobert is playing here. It is so natural for him to leave Porzingis. I'm a bit surprised that P did not choose to shoot or just drive hard. He just ended up hesitating. Still good job by Gobert to keep up. If this works well we might see a comeback for two shotblockers. Instead of 4 wings and one big.

Two shot blockers has been the wave/trend for several high-level teams over the last five years.

Milwaukee with Giannis and Brook beginning in 2018-19. LA with AD and Javale/Dwight in 2019-20 and AD with Gasol in 2020-21. 2019-20 Philly with Embiid and Horford which didn't work as well as they hoped. Cleveland with Mobley and Allen starting in 2021-22. 2021-22 and 2022-23 Boston with Horford and Williams. Not to forget KAT and Rudy too.

Hell, Utah was doing Favors and Rudy to the detriment of the offense. Not to mention Indiana with Sabonis and Turner. Domantas is not really much of a rim protector though.

But I think it was Milwaukee having success with Brook as a rim-protecting stretch five to clear the paint for Giannis.

[Xiao Yao You]

There are already two Minnesota defense threads but this video deserves its own one. Defensive highlights are way more entertaining to me. The game of basketball is designed to put the defense at a disadvantage, especially in this era. It's cool to see a team of guys dominating games on the defensive end and locking up the #1 offense.

https://streamable.com/0ltr77

Rudy still owns the Unicorn's soft ass

[Xiao Yao You]

They looked good even with Gobert off the floor and Towns and Reid having to defend which is a great sign too

[ILLsmak]

Trash sets and trash decisions. Rare to see multiple plays of dudes just running into people at the rim. Haha. It's like they didn't know someone was gonna be there?

I can forgive all of the plays w/ bums out there, but I dunno why they set up like they do when they actually need a bucket. Like I was telling RMWG, they need Porzingis to cut, something I wasn't sure he was going to do well, but from what I've seen, he's doing it just fine... and then step out only when he's WIDE FREAKING OPEN. He shouldn't be popping like that. He can bang those shots, but he's shooting like 60+% if he gets to the rim and if they collapse, they pass out.

There was good D, but if you watch this closely from a Bos PoV, they were failing, too. Having guys in the same spot and swapping with each other. If the ball handler has NO PASSING OPTION your offense is failing. They are looking like Team USA out there. Even if it's Tatum, he needs multiple looks. The spacing is bad because it's not like dudes are bricking threes, wide shots, they were just not able to move the defense and get it to the right spot.

The fact that Porzingis is walking back slow and Brown is holding his knees well after JT bricked a 3, just barely hitting the rim... like I said no action. You might actually believe that their defense is keeping them from passing the ball, but lol, that's ridiculous.

10:16 3, that's when you pass to PZ for the punishem 3, but it was poorly done. LATE. Bos still got work to do. This is what the playoffs are gonna be like. You're not gonna win off step back 3s. If guys are defending like that, someone needs to be getting a lay up or a wide open 3. Watching the Cs shuffle around and set soft picks on guys that aren't even in the play is depressing. 3 dudes standing next to each other. Should be time out as soon as that starts to happen.

They are setting picks on each other practically haha. It's either 5 out iso at the top for whoever wants it (gladly something the other team would give) or some attempted pick and roll. THEY SHOULD TRY OFF BALL SCREENS?? Minny practically playing zone with how little they have to move. SAD.

It's just a matter of getting their pieces in the right position tho. I haven't watched Cs much but it seems Brown is struggling atm, but they have 3 guys that can knife thru and hit, so it should be GG. But yeah, this is kinda sad. They got guys that can rise up from the spots that would be open and hit, and if there is someone who comes to contest, that should mean they have a pass for a 3, IF they make it at the right time.

Just my 2c. Trying to stop posting on ISH tho, ha.

-Smak