We can dissect any number of reasons the Timberwolves have a losing record (13-14) at this point in the season, but it might be as simple as 1-2-3.
The Wolves are first in three-pointers allowed per game (14.2) this season, second in three-point attempts allowed (37.7) and third in three-point field goal percentage allowed (37.8). None of those, of course, are positive stats.
Combine those ugly numbers with these: On offense, the Wolves rank No. 22 in threes made per game (11.0) an No. 25 in three-point field goal percentage (33.4).
Basically every game, they are getting outscored by about 10 points from three-point range, and they are yielding those points in a way that is efficient for opponents.
Portland's blowout win over the Wolves on Monday was an extreme — 21 made threes to the Wolves 10, with Damian Lillard's 11 makes accounting for the huge gap — but to brush aside Lillard as "just a hot hand" as Wolves coach Chris Finch did after the game doesn't do justice to a season-long trend.
The Wolves clearly miss the players they dealt away in the Rudy Gobert trade, as I talked about on Tuesday's Daily Delivery podcast.
Last season, with Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt playing key roles, the Wolves ranked No. 1 in three-pointers attempted per game (41.3) and No. 12 in accuracy (35.8%). Opponents shot just 35.0% from deep (No. 19) and the Wolves outscored opponents by about five points per game from three-point range.
Beverley took every defensive assignment as a personal challenge, and more often than not that was a good thing. Vanderbilt played power forward but was athletic enough to switch on just about anyone and could run shooters off the three-point line. Beasley made more than three long-distance shots per game.
