Dunks After Dusk

Really appreciate that - have long been a big fan of all your Wolves stuff!

YouTube video by Howls And Growls This Is Why The Timberwolves Can't Defend Anyone Right Now...

Fantastic breakdown by @howlsandgrowls.bsky.social of the Wolves’ defensive issues.

Starts with Randle and Naz as the tip of the iceberg, but then goes into Rudy’s struggles, the communication/concept issues, and the out of control corner help.

These videos always make me a smarter basketball fan

A lot of that comes down to defense on/around screens to me. He’s getting screened too easily, but then our help defense/scrambling has been so erratic.

But teams are smart. They are involving our subpar defenders as much as possible on all their actions.

Could be fair - Reaves definitely got him a few times. But I thought the majority of the game had Jaden picking him up full court and forcing the ball out of his hands way more often than not.

And with Reaves penchant for drawing contact, Jaden only committing one foul while doing that is notable

A follow up after last night: Out of 631 twosomes that have played at least 40 minutes together in the NBA this season, Randle/Reid’s defensive rating of 135.3 ranks as the 13th worst (2nd percentile).

Last season, they finished at 112.9, worst on the Wolves, but only slightly below league average.

Games 4-5: No Identity, No Bueno Podcast Episode · Dunks After Dusk · 10/30/2025 · 46m

Very cathartic to talk through the Wolves lack of identity and who/what may be to blame

Are they a veteran team built around continuity? An athletic team looking to push pace? A defensive team anchored by a 4-time DPOY? An offensive juggernaut with a top 5 player?

They don’t know, so how can we?

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. A deserved loss for a team that has zero identity right now.

Only one Timberwolves player currently with a positive plus/minus on the night…

Rob Dillingham.

Agree completely. Have to at least try!

The Randle/Naz pairing was an issue defensively last year too. They can at least score and keep pace, but claiming to be a defensive team and playing those two together for big stretches a game (without a 5) is an oxymoron.

Julius Randle and Naz Reid have a defensive rating of 134.7, the worst on the team out of the main rotation guys (coming into tonight).

Playing those two together is an invitation to the rim - your only hope as a team is to try and keep pace with scoring.

Awesome Dillingham stint. I don’t think it’s an accident that it’s coming in his longest stretch of play.

Stacking a ton of positive plays!

This five would look a lot better if Beringer was a part of it…

My longtime take is the Rudy Gobert needs to wear football gloves. I am only feeling stronger about it each passing year.

Josh Minott with 11-14-2 and 4 stocks in 33 minutes as a starter in Boston’s win over the Cavs.

😂😂😂

a man is standing in front of a computer screen and pointing at something . ALT: a man is standing in front of a computer screen and pointing at something .

Scott Foster going to the replay and proving that he is such a great referee, he managed to call a foul even before one happened.

Couldn’t maintain the intensity in the face of a Jamal Murray/THJ 3rd quarter heater and the b2b caught up to them with some dead legs on 3pt shooting in the 4th.

Obviously missed Ant, but could have really used the Jaylen Clark curveball to throw at Murray that 3rd quarter.

Denver scored 45 points in the 3Q… and Jokic scored just 2 of them, only assisting on 6 more.

Jamal Murray (23 PTS) and Tim Hardaway Jr (15 PTS) out-scored the Wolves 38-29 by themselves, shooting a combined 12/17 FG.

Wolves trail 102-94 entering the 4th

Well, the best half of basketball that the Wolves have played in this young season.

6 BLKs and 9 TOs forced paint a good picture of the extra hustle on the court tonight.

Naz Reid’s hustle especially stand out (just please don’t make him guard Jokic 1-on-1 anymore!)

ISO Randle and Naz on Jokic every time he’s on the floor. He doesn’t have the foot speed to keep up with those guys, and it’s the only way they are going to have any chance at limiting his production.

Whoa whoa whoa. The whistle had clearly blown before the next bit of contact. That is absolutely a terrible review.

Clearly a terrible call, but all the challenge is going to get here is a side out for Denver.

Denver has very little interior shot blocking - one of the main reasons Edwards is always so effective against them.

McDaniels and Randle picking up that slack so far tonight with some beautiful finishes around the rim

Turned into a seesaw quarter. Followed up the two good passes with a TO, then got lost on a back door cut, and then made a nice layup.

3 positives
3 negatives

Not going to hang onto the playing time if those numbers are even.

No one can guard Jokic 1-on-1, but asking Naz to do it is crazy.

Beautiful pass to Naz on the roll from Dillingham, and then follows it up with bounce pass to Rudy which draws a foul. Keep stacking the positives

Let’s go Dilly!

Watching the Spurs while waiting for the Wolves… and I have no idea how any team will be able to slow Wemby down.

Beringer might quickly become the 2nd most important person in the franchise cause he at least has a physical profile to be more than a traffic cone in front of Wemby.

Dillingham wearing a mask tonight while warming up via @jonkrawczynski.bsky.social instagram.

Really hoping he cracks the rotation tonight and stacks some positive plays