The Minnesota Timberwolves‘ current status is anything but uplifting. Problems just compound one another. From overall defensive struggles, to certain players experiencing slumps, to the Rudy Gobert-Julius Randle moment that caused Anthony Edwards to lash out at his center, the team hasn’t had the most ideal start to the season.
Last year, they already had 12 wins through their first 16 games. At the moment, they hold an 8-8 record, putting them in the bottom half of the Western Conference. The most glaring out of all their issues is seen on the defensive side. From boasting the league’s number-one defense last season, the Timberwolves have regressed to a 112.2 defensive rating — 14th overall among all teams.
On a positive note, it’s still early in the season; Minnesota has room to regroup and find their footing as the games go along. Bouncing back is highly possible. Through the years, there have been countless instances where teams go through mid-season resurgences. And if there’s a squad that has the talent to get it done, it’s the Timberwolves.
Another silver lining is that certain individuals continue to do their part well. Anthony Edwards is still churning out superstar-like numbers. Naz Reid — although quiet these past two games — has been averaging stats worthy of another Sixth Man of the Year Award. Still, one other player takes the cake as the Timberwolves’ most pleasant surprise this season: Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker plays his role to the fullest
Before the season, the Timberwolves acquired Donte DiVincenzo and Joe Ingles, in addition to drafting Terrence Shannon Jr. These moves at the wing led some to question whether or not Nickeil Alexander-Walker would keep his spot in the rotation. A couple of games in and it was clear that the answer was yes. Chris Finch continues to give his 3-and-D specialist good playing time, and it’s paid dividends for the Timberwolves.
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Just in the season opener, Alexander-Walker scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. He also sank three out of his four downtown attempts. When Mike Conley was sidelined against the Portland Trail Blazers nearly two weeks ago, Alexander-Walker got his first start of the season, putting up 12 points on 5-of-6 attempts. Notice a similarity? Yup, the 6-foot-5 guard is efficient. While he doesn’t normally put up double digits in scoring (as the examples above may have mistakenly indicated), the biggest positive about the Ontario native is his ability to make the most out of every shot opportunity.
Among everyone in Finch’s main rotation, Alexander-Walker is the most efficient three-point shooter at 44.4%. This is an increase to his already reliable 39.1% rating from last season. He’s been a boost off the bench, especially with how Donte DiVincenzo is still trying to get into a rhythm. Of course, Alexander-Walker’s responsibilities encompass both sides of the ball. On defense, he’s given tough matchups to guard due to his on-ball quickness and near 6’10 wingspan. This has so far resulted in a 106.4 individual defensive rating — the best among all Timberwolves players who get no less than 20 minutes a game. He also leads the team with 42 deflections. Moreover, opponents shoot just 32.1% from deep when Alexander-Walker is on the floor, indicating how much disruption happens at the perimeter.
Regardless, at the end of the day, Alexander-Walker alone won’t be enough to change the defensive culture. It takes a collective team effort to improve overall cohesiveness and consistency. What Alexander-Walker can do though, is continue being an example of what it’s like to take pride in shutting down opponents. Maybe his energy will rub off on the rest of the team so that they’ll finally follow suit.
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