Fun facts and unreal stats

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The wolves after 9 games have the best EFG% in the league at 59%.

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3-point shooting

McDaniels .541
Conley .500
Edwards .490
Clark .429
Randle .412
DiVincenzo .403

That's six out of or nine-man rotation right now over 40% on 3-pointers.

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100% true. That said, honest question, who doesn’t?

[Klomp]

100% true. That said, honest question, who doesn’t?

Most of the veterans aren't that reliant on Gobert. Sure, those lineups improve with him out there, but the differences aren't as stark.

[winforlose]

100% true. That said, honest question, who doesn’t?

Most of the veterans aren't that reliant on Gobert. Sure, those lineups improve with him out there, but the differences aren't as stark.

When it comes to Rudy and on/off it he all stark.

[shrink]

100% true. That said, honest question, who doesn’t?

Agreed. Anyone have the on-off numbers for Rudy with every player? You know Naz and Randle aren’t good without Rudy.

[Klomp]

100% true. That said, honest question, who doesn’t?

Agreed. Anyone have the on-off numbers for Rudy with every player? You know Naz and Randle aren’t good without Rudy.

Naz is probably the veteran most reliant on Gobert, but I don't put Randle in that category. Giving up points does not mean a unit is playing poorly.

These are made up numbers, but what unit would you say is better:

a. Offensive rating 120, defensive rating 104
b. Offensive rating 140, defensive rating 120

We have been ingrained to believe that Option A is the way a team must play in order to win games. However, Option B has the wider differential. Yes the defense is much better when Gobert is on the floor, but this offense right now is playing at crazy high levels without Gobert.

Right now, Naz is struggling personally and it's affecting his play on both ends. That's exactly the kind of situation where we need Gobert to elevate him. Randle doesn't depend on Gobert in that way.

[winforlose]

100% true. That said, honest question, who doesn’t?

Agreed. Anyone have the on-off numbers for Rudy with every player? You know Naz and Randle aren’t good without Rudy.

Naz is probably the veteran most reliant on Gobert, but I don't put Randle in that category. Giving up points does not mean a unit is playing poorly.

These are made up numbers, but what unit would you say is better:

a. Offensive rating 120, defensive rating 104
b. Offensive rating 140, defensive rating 120

We have been ingrained to believe that Option A is the way a team must play in order to win games. However, Option B has the wider differential. Yes the defense is much better when Gobert is on the floor, but this offense right now is playing at crazy high levels without Gobert.

Right now, Naz is struggling personally and it's affecting his play on both ends. That's exactly the kind of situation where we need Gobert to elevate him. Randle doesn't depend on Gobert in that way.

This is compelling, but again only partially true. One easy example is the rebounding and shot differentials. Against the Knicks they took 19 more shots than us and scored 31 2nd chance and 31 points off turnovers (is that 2nd one correct or am I mistaking it?) You also fail to account for shooting rhythms and foul trouble as a result of the poor defense. It is more complicated then the A or B example you provided.

[Klomp]

Agreed. Anyone have the on-off numbers for Rudy with every player? You know Naz and Randle aren’t good without Rudy.

Naz is probably the veteran most reliant on Gobert, but I don't put Randle in that category. Giving up points does not mean a unit is playing poorly.

These are made up numbers, but what unit would you say is better:

a. Offensive rating 120, defensive rating 104
b. Offensive rating 140, defensive rating 120

We have been ingrained to believe that Option A is the way a team must play in order to win games. However, Option B has the wider differential. Yes the defense is much better when Gobert is on the floor, but this offense right now is playing at crazy high levels without Gobert.

Right now, Naz is struggling personally and it's affecting his play on both ends. That's exactly the kind of situation where we need Gobert to elevate him. Randle doesn't depend on Gobert in that way.

This is compelling, but again only partially true. One easy example is the rebounding and shot differentials. Against the Knicks they took 19 more shots than us and scored 31 2nd chance and 31 points off turnovers (is that 2nd one correct or am I mistaking it?) You also fail to account for shooting rhythms and foul trouble as a result of the poor defense. It is more complicated then the A or B example you provided.

We will see. Obviously our only sample is the last two games against poor competition, but they have made a pretty clear rotational adjustment since the Knicks game. Rather than the first subs of the game being Reid for Gobert, Reid is now coming in for Randle right away. Clark and Conley also come in for more defensive fundamentals with that group.

Of course there is nuance, but I would also say it's more nuanced than just saying every player on the team is fully reliant on Rudy in order to play well.

[Klomp]

This is compelling, but again only partially true. One easy example is the rebounding and shot differentials. Against the Knicks they took 19 more shots than us and scored 31 2nd chance and 31 points off turnovers (is that 2nd one correct or am I mistaking it?) You also fail to account for shooting rhythms and foul trouble as a result of the poor defense. It is more complicated then the A or B example you provided.

We probably lost that game in the 3rd quarter, correct? I'd say so since we went from up by 4 points at halftime to a 10-point deficit entering the 4th quarter.

Here are how the Gobert-specific rotations went in the 3rd quarter:
Knicks start the quarter with a 17-9 run over 5:53, with Gobert on the floor.
Once Gobert sits, the Knicks go on a 13-9 run over 3:24
Gobert comes in for the final 2:43, and the teams play even at 10-10

With: Outscored 27-19 over 8:36
Without: Outscored 13-9 over 3:24

Were the Timberwolves more successful with Rudy Gobert on the court without him?

[winforlose]

This is compelling, but again only partially true. One easy example is the rebounding and shot differentials. Against the Knicks they took 19 more shots than us and scored 31 2nd chance and 31 points off turnovers (is that 2nd one correct or am I mistaking it?) You also fail to account for shooting rhythms and foul trouble as a result of the poor defense. It is more complicated then the A or B example you provided.

We probably lost that game in the 3rd quarter, correct? I'd say so since we went from up by 4 points at halftime to a 10-point deficit entering the 4th quarter.

Here are how the Gobert-specific rotations went in the 3rd quarter:
Knicks start the quarter with a 17-9 run over 5:53, with Gobert on the floor.
Once Gobert sits, the Knicks go on a 13-9 run over 3:24
Gobert comes in for the final 2:43, and the teams play even at 10-10

With: Outscored 27-19 over 8:36
Without: Outscored 13-9 over 3:24

Were the Timberwolves more successful with Rudy Gobert on the court without him?

Honest question as I am very sleep deprived and not thinking well, how did it go in the fourth?

[Klomp]

Honest question as I am very sleep deprived and not thinking well, how did it go in the fourth?

First 2:53 without Gobert, outscored 10-5
-Full disclosure, there was a possession where NYK grabbed two offensive rebounds and finished the possession with an And-1.

Next 4:17 with Gobert, outscored 15-10
-Full disclosure, three possessions with a NYK offensive rebound, each resulting in points.

Next 1:31 without Gobert until bench was cleared, outscored 5-3
-Full disclosure, one NYK offensive rebound resulted in a 3-pointer.

[Klomp]

Thanks to our last two wins, we have the second-best point differential in the NBA.

Thunder +13.6
Timberwolves +13.2
Rockets +9.7
Knicks +8.7
Spurs +8.4

[winforlose]

Honest question as I am very sleep deprived and not thinking well, how did it go in the fourth?

First 2:53 without Gobert, outscored 10-5
-Full disclosure, there was a possession where NYK grabbed two offensive rebounds and finished the possession with an And-1.

Next 4:17 with Gobert, outscored 15-10
-Full disclosure, three possessions with a NYK offensive rebound, each resulting in points.

Next 1:31 without Gobert until bench was cleared, outscored 5-3
-Full disclosure, one NYK offensive rebound resulted in a 3-pointer.

Thanks for the deep dive. It sounds like they got rolling in the 3rd and once the momentum shifted we never recovered. In this case without rewatching the game I am going to assume you are correct and that the defense with Rudy was the problem, which in some ways is worse.

[Klomp]

Honest question as I am very sleep deprived and not thinking well, how did it go in the fourth?

First 2:53 without Gobert, outscored 10-5
-Full disclosure, there was a possession where NYK grabbed two offensive rebounds and finished the possession with an And-1.

Next 4:17 with Gobert, outscored 15-10
-Full disclosure, three possessions with a NYK offensive rebound, each resulting in points.

Next 1:31 without Gobert until bench was cleared, outscored 5-3
-Full disclosure, one NYK offensive rebound resulted in a 3-pointer.

Thanks for the deep dive. It sounds like they got rolling in the 3rd and once the momentum shifted we never recovered. In this case without rewatching the game I am going to assume you are correct and that the defense with Rudy was the problem, which in some ways is worse.

For the record, I am not saying "the defense with Rudy was the problem". What I am saying is that while defense without Rudy is clearly an issue, to this point the offense has been able to keep that group afloat and competitive.

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First 2:53 without Gobert, outscored 10-5
-Full disclosure, there was a possession where NYK grabbed two offensive rebounds and finished the possession with an And-1.

Next 4:17 with Gobert, outscored 15-10
-Full disclosure, three possessions with a NYK offensive rebound, each resulting in points.

Next 1:31 without Gobert until bench was cleared, outscored 5-3
-Full disclosure, one NYK offensive rebound resulted in a 3-pointer.

Thanks for the deep dive. It sounds like they got rolling in the 3rd and once the momentum shifted we never recovered. In this case without rewatching the game I am going to assume you are correct and that the defense with Rudy was the problem, which in some ways is worse.

For the record, I am not saying "the defense with Rudy was the problem". What I am saying is that while defense without Rudy is clearly an issue, to this point the offense has been able to keep that group afloat and competitive.

I understand. I am trying to say that these things are not isolated. Basketball is a game of momentum and player variation. If when Rudy sits (or even if he is on the floor,) a negative trend can effect both teams players (we miss shots we play bad defense, we make sloppy turnovers they gain confidence and start making their shots.) Therefore if our defense starts to suck, it can give opponents life.

[winforlose]

“Last Week:10
Record: 6-4

OffRtg: 120.3 (4) DefRtg: 115.5 (20) NetRtg: +4.8 (9) Pace: 100.6 (21)

The Wolves went 2-2 over Anthony Edwards’ absence, taking care of business in Charlotte and Brooklyn. They lost in New York in their star’s return, but then won a pair of weekend games by a total of 67 points.

Three takeaways

Edwards came back shooting more 3s. In his three games prior to his hamstring injury, he took 19 (37%) of his 52 shots from beyond the arc. In his three games back, he’s taken 30 (60%) of his 50 shots from deep. That puts his season-long rate (48%) just a tad below his rate from last season (50%).
The Wolves, as a team, have taken more than 40% of their shots from 3-point range in each of their last five games, having done so in just one of their first five. They’ve scored 126.6 points per 100 possessions over the last five, just a tick below their best five-game stretch of offense all of last season (126.9 per 100). Julius Randle (career-bet true shooting percentage of 66.7%) and Jaden McDaniels (74.7% over the last seven games) continue to be remarkably efficient.
Rudy Gobert has had some big on-off differentials in regard to how well his team defends in the past, but nothing like the one he’s got this season. The Wolves have allowed an amazing 22.1 fewer points per 100 possessions with the four-time Defensive Player of the Year on the floor (106.8) than they have with him on the bench (128.9).”

https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2025-26-week-4

This was before last nights game. No idea how that shifts the numbers.