After the opening six weeks of the NBA campaign saw the Timberwolves languishing as a bottom-three defense, there was a sudden and complete change: Tom Thibodeau’s squad started playing defense, and the Wolves were no longer simply outscoring their opponents.
After only holding seven opponents under 100 points the first six weeks of the season, the Wolves achieved that sub-100 goal four times in nine games beginning around Thanksgiving. Then, from Dec. 31 to Jan. 12, Minnesota held seven straight opponents under the century mark.
But a 4-4 stretch followed that saw only one opponent score less than 108 points.