The Minnesota Timberwolves got a massive comeback victory against the visiting Orlando Magic on Friday night. It was an impressive result for Minnesota, considering Paolo Banchero scored 43 points to lead the Magic to a near-victory.
This was rough for Banchero because he had to work for almost every point. He might have had a strong performance, but he admitted that Minnesota is one of the toughest matchups they will play against.
When people discuss the Minnesota Timberwolves' defense, Rudy Gobert is often the player mentioned. He deserves that because he is a four-time winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Frenchman is a focal point of their defensive structure, but the Timberwolves are much better when looking at the overall system. Banchero scored 43 points, but he admitted a wing defender like Jaden McDaniels made life rough for him.
Timberwolves this month:
1st in net rating
3rd in offense
6th in defense
7-0. pic.twitter.com/xFZCPwhEIK
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 15, 2025
Related: Anthony Edwards talks up a big future for himself, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels.
The Timberwolves' Wing Defenders are Tough to Beat
Orlando has one of the strongest wing duos in the league with Banchero and Franz Wagner. They are a promising partnership that can become one of the best in the league.
Paolo had a strong performance, but Wagner had a miserable game against Minnesota. He scored 16 points, but he was terribly inefficient with 4/16 splits from the field.
The Timberwolves' suffocating defense was evident with Wagner because he could not consistently hit shots throughout the game. After the loss, Banchero spoke about what happened to their offense because they struggled to play against the Minnesota defensive structure.
"I think they're a great defensive team. I think they have a lot of good defenders, perimeter and interior," Banchero said after the game. "So they put a lot of different bodies on him. Jaden (McDaniels), he's really long, athletic. A lot of teams and guys in the league aren't able to meet Franz at the rim."
Jaden McDaniels defense in the 4th was crazy good. Completely took out Franz Wagner.
— Joel Moran (@joelvmoran) March 15, 2025
Elite Defense Could Make Minnesota a Dark Horse in the Postseason
As the adage goes, "Defense wins championships," which is often a quote teams point to when building a team. The Timberwolves have ensured defense is a big part of their success, as they committed plenty of assets and money to get Gobert.
With names like Gobert, McDaniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Minnesota is set with the defense. Anthony Edwards also deserves to be respected as one of their top defenders. The Timberwolves are prepared to keep up with any team in the league with their superb defense and underrated offense.
Coach Chris Finch should be pleased to see his team succeed because he has set them up to win games on both ends. They are ready to keep taking charge of games and dominating the opponent with their abundance of talent.
If they keep doing this, many players will have the same insight as Banchero. They will have a hard time playing against the Timberwolves and give them the respect they deserve as a potential top team.
Related: The Timberwolves are Peaking at the Right Time Under Chris Finch
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This story was originally published March 15, 2025 at 10:34 PM.