What did the Minnesota Timberwolves do right to rise in 2023-24 NBA season?

The Minnesota Timberwolves began their 2023-24 NBA regular season leading the Western Conference with a 11-3 record that matches their best performance since the 2001-02 campaign. They are only in the 17th place of all 30 teams in offensive rating (113.5), but have the league's No. 1 defensive rating of 106.1 and limited the opponents to no more than 105.8 points per game, the third-fewest.

Judging by the Timberwolves' defensive resources, it's should be surprising that they could dominate this end of the game. They have a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert in the center position. Jaden McDaniels has grown into one of the league's best players to guard multiple positions and the team has Nickeil Alexander-Walker to come off the bench and do similar work.

Though Mike Conley is 36, he is still experienced enough to chase most points guards. If they are too big or took quick for Conley, Anthony Edwards can take over with his improved individual defense. He has proved himself as a consistent or complete elite defender, Edwards can be trusted in one-on-one defense of the opponents' ace during clutch time.

Quickness and aggression make good defense, but not top defense. Kyle Anderson provides the slow but solid lubricant to the Timberwolves' system. He doesn't move like greased lightning, but always appears in the right position in defensive rotations all over the court.

The Timberwolves had most of these defensive resources last season, but one of the reasons for their rise from the 10th to the first in defensive rating is a change in Gobert. Having played over 10 seasons in the NBA, he usually stayed in the paint on both offense and defense to give full play to his talents as a finisher, a round protector and a blocker.

There is no quick upgrade for his offensive skills, but Gobert is capable of closing out defensively, like he does in the French national team. Despite his 2.16-meter height, Gobert can follow most perimeter players and deflect their shooting with his 2.35-meter-long wingspan. He may still be vulnerable in front of top guards who shoot to kill off the dribble, but there are many of those in today's NBA.

Of course, the Timberwolves' defense is not perfect since Karl-Anthony Towns is unlikely to become a trustworthy defender in his whole career. Nonetheless, when he plays as a power forward, he is bigger than most in this position and a reliable rebounder. He is also strong enough to tussle with the opponents' center so Gobert can focus on providing help defense.

The Timberwolves' offense hasn't improved in numbers, but Edwards' growth gives the team a go-to guy when they hold the opponents to a close clutch time game. The team doesn't have first-class spacing. Neither do they move the ball in the smoothest way. That means when Edwards takes over offense, he can't expect too much more help from his teammates than battling for offensive rebounds.

Edwards has been well-known for his ability to charge the rim from the front and his explosive but inconsistent 3-point shooting since he entered the NBA in 2020. This season, he added more ways of finishing including mid-range jump shooting off the dribble and shooting floaters when he is one step into the free throw line.

Instead of throwing himself toward the hoop to challenge bigger and often plural defenders or pulling up from downtown to test his touch, Edwards found easier and more efficient ways to exploit his quick reflexes and athleticism. He is not a master passer to feed his big man teammates under the rim yet, but the bigger threat he poses in the high and middle posts, the opener Gobert and others will be in the restricted area.