Minnesota played five-plus minutes of assist-filled, joyful basketball to open Saturday’s fourth quarter against the Clippers.
It greatly resembled the product the Timberwolves produced at the outset of the final frame six days prior against San Antonio.
Ball movement and energy leads to good shots and good vibes on offense, which seems to almost inspire better defensive play.
“That’s the brand of basketball we’ve all set out to try to play,” Wolves guard Mike Conley said.
It’s certainly the most effective edition, and seemingly the one that produces the most glee.
“I don’t know why we don’t have it all the time,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said of the joy displayed by his players at the start of the fourth quarter against the Clippers. “Sometimes we’re just kind of too in our own head right now when things aren’t going well offensively, and that’s been kind of one of our fatal flaws for the last two years. When we forget about that, make the right play and the play that’s in front of us, play with a little more pop, things tend to work out really well.”
That’s the style of play that involves all, which seems to open up the most opportunities for the likes of Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid – more than capable scorers who thrive when chances occur organically.
“Just when the defense is broken down, when (defenders are) trying to rotate, it’s easier for me to drive off the catch or make certain moves or do certain things,” said McDaniels, who scored a team-high 27 points in the win over the Clippers. Those points came on just 13 field goal attempts. Reid scored 19 points on 7 for 11 shooting, including the game-winning triple in the final 15 seconds.
It’s no mistake that shot came after three passes that sent Los Angeles’ defense scrambling and left Reid wide open in the corner.
“That was great offense,” Reid said.
Indeed. But how can Minnesota bottle that on a more consistent basis? Because the first three quarters were the opposite. Slow offense in which the ball nor bodies moved, both of which allowed the Clippers to stack their defense however they saw fit to slow Minnesota down with no punishment for doing so on the back end.
McDaniels was asked for any constant themes from Minnesota’s current five-game winning streak, and couldn’t name one. How could he? The Wolves are Jekyll and Hyde-ing their way through every game at the moment on both ends of the floor.
It’s working in the interim. But results of real substance require a more consistent standard.
“I think it’s just a switch that just goes off,” Reid said. “(Saturday), Jaden got it going. Going into the fourth, we kind of all just followed suit. But there’s stuff that happened in the beginning of the game that has to happen over a 48-minute stretch or spell as opposed to two quarters or a half.”
Mike Conley said a key is for Minnesota to play that way out of the gates. Once the rhythm is established, it’s difficult to stop. And life would be easier for players off the bench if they entered a game already being played within a strong offensive flow.
Boredom and complacency have been the primary culprits of Minnesota’s inconsistency this season, which comes off the heels of consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances.
But it’s hard to be bored when you’re having fun performing on a nightly basis. Some styles of play are far more fun than others, as shown by the excitement players displayed in the fourth quarter Saturday.
“Everybody’s eating. Everyone’s killing. Everyone’s excited,” Reid said of the ball-movement bonanza.
“We’re just sharing the ball with each other, everybody touching the ball on the possession,” McDaniels said. “Miss or make, that’s a good possession when everybody’s touching the ball and everyone playing free and just with confidence.”
“Those of us who are out there being a part of that, we know how fun it is,” Conley said. “It’s a much different game when we’re all active and feel engaged, whether you shoot it or not, you just feel more energy.”
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