Straight Sets: Running Through The Middle
Breaking down offensive actions that get Minnesota scoring down the middle of the floor.
Nothing has come easy for Minnesota’s halfcourt offense this season. Sometimes it’s been bogged down with ugly post-ups, other times their shooters haven’t been shooting well, occasionally they’ve just been riddled with sloppy turnovers or poor shot selection. It’s always been something, but it’s never been good.
Recently, that script has been picked up, spun around a couple times, and flipped on its head. Over the past 10 games, the Timberwolves are scoring 101.9 points per 100 halfcourt possessions, a number that ranks second in the league over that stretch and grades out over five points above the 95.3 points per 100 possessions league average in that time period, per Cleaning The Glass.
Some of it is cutting down on the post-ups, other parts have been the long-range shots starting to fall, and those pesky turnovers and head-scratching shot attempts have dwindled. However, there has been a concerted effort from head coach Chris Finch to funnel more of their offensive actions toward the middle of the court. And it’s working. By doing that, they’ve been able put more pressure on the rim and open better shots when they get there. On the season, the Wolves are shooting 63.1 percent at the rim (20th overall), but they have upped that to 66.3 percent (12th overall) in that 10-game span.
There will always be value in actions that flow from the wings or the corners of the floor. If executed correctly, wide sets give the offense the luxury of attacking tilted defenses or the ability to fling the ball from one side of the court to the other and force defenses into overstretched rotations and constant communication. Although, when an offense struggles to do those things like the Wolves have this season, pounding the middle of the floor for profit is a heady change of pace.
The first time I noticed this changing offensive landscape was in the loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, when Finch busted out this ‘Ram Double Drag’ action for the first time this season. It’s a crisp quick-hitter that differs from the boring old high double drag screen actions — bringing both screeners up from a starting position in the paint forces three Memphis defenders out above the break and prying open a huge gap for Anthony Edwards to attack. Whether it’s John Konchar, Kawhi Leonard or Scottie Pippen, there isn’t a living soul who can stop a downhill Edwards while simultanously trying to switch and recover position.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Howls and Growls to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.