Two seasons ago, the Timberwolves had one of the league's best offenses in the second half of the season. Their defense ranked 13th in efficiency for the year, and that combination of an elite offense and a passable defense was enough to get them in the playoffs.
With the acquisition of Rudy Gobert and a major injury to Karl-Anthony Towns, that dynamic flipped last season. The Wolves were 23rd in offensive efficiency, 10th in defense.
Coach Chris Finch made his reputation in the NBA primarily on the offensive end of the floor, but when asked last week if he thought the Wolves should be a defense-first team, if that should be the team's identity, Finch was unflinching in his answer.