The Timberwolves look hungry

Anthony Edwards and lockdown defense make the Wolves dangerous

BY DAVID THORPE

We’re all witnessing the meteoric rise of Anthony Edwards. Can he carry the Wolves to the next level? DAVID BERDING/GETTY IMAGES

So far this season, the Timberwolves have been flashing their fangs.

Though they have two of the game’s finest offensive weapons in Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, it’s been the Wolves’ elite defense that’s tearing apart the league. As Jarod Hector mentioned on this week’s podcast, Minnesota has 10 players with positive defensive ratings, per Basketball Reference’s Box Plus-Minus. The 22-year-old Edwards is, in my mind, rivaling Luka Dončić as MVP-so-far.

Wins against the Celtics, Nuggets, and Warriors (twice) have bolstered the Wolves’ street cred. And so the question is: Have they ascended into the top tier of contenders, or are they merely riding the tall wave of a fast start? Last year, the Wolves, with a top-10 defense with a bottom-third offense, finished 42-40. This year, they have the league’s best defense and a middle-of-the-road offense. Will that translate to the franchise’s first playoff-series win in the past 20 years? 

Let’s take a look at how the Wolves have brought it all together, starting with their new dedication to defending. We’ll also dive into Anthony Edwards’ early dominance, Towns’ future, and the Wolves’ true chances of contending this season.