THE Minnesota Timberwolves we’re 15-8 after blowing out the second quarter of the season. OUR 34 voters responded with their notes and thoughts! Welcome to…
Canis Pulsus Vol. 45 – Quarterly report 1 (’25-’26)
(Note: Canis Pulsus Vol. 45 data was collected through 12/5 before the Los Angeles Clippers game)
Ant’s recent heater is special. Despite early season injury scares and plummeting clutch time in Phoenix and Sacramento, he played as well as anyone could hope for.
Julius started the season as one of the best players in the league. Since then, he has calmed down considerably. It was a good year overall for him, but I hope he bounces back soon.
Many fans and experts thought Rudy would decline significantly this year, but he continues to contribute at a level we’re used to seeing from him. He continues to raise the defensive floor of this team and help the Wolves win early season games.
Slim has been spectacular this year. His offensive production has stalled after a hot start when Ant was injured. He’s coming off a great game against the Clippers, so I hope he’s on the verge of a comeback.
The new full-time starter has had his share of moments this season so far. It rains three points on a remarkable straight line. His 39.7% mark on over eight attempts has been huge for the Wolves, although fans would probably like to see more defensive consistency from him.
Naz Reid has had a rocky start to the season. He’s found his offensive rhythm more recently, but hopefully he can bring more to the table on the other end of the floor.
The steady decline of our favorite old man is sad to see. Although he continues to shoot threes at a respectable rate, Mike has been getting chased more and more often on the defensive end. Besides being a spot-up shooter and occasional half-court initiator, he doesn’t offer much anymore.
Wolves fans didn’t see the version of TJ they expected to see. A foot injury early in the season seems to have turned things around for him, but he is starting to bounce back. We just need more consistency moving forward.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Clark’s rise to everyday player status has become increasingly evident. He will almost always inject a jolt of electricity into his team when he is on the field, play after play.
Rob was supposed to learn how to be a floor general under the tutelage of Mike Conley, but unfortunately he seems to be absorbing 38-year-old Mike’s abilities, not 28-year-old Mike’s. It’s as if Rob’s confidence in his own abilities is at an all-time low. He tries on defense with mixed results, but his inability to shoot the ball or make sound, consistent decisions has crippled him.
Bones Hyland / Leonard Miller / Joan Beringer / Joe Ingles / Johnny Juzang
There has been some consternation over Chris Finch’s ability to get his team to close out games this season. For what it’s worth, there’s some truth to it. But that said, the Wolves have closed as many close games as they have lost. Now, whether or not these games should be close is another question.
Not too much judgment here. They have yet to make any moves and aside from unsubstantiated ramblings about interest in guards like Ja Morant or Trae Young, there doesn’t appear to be any movement in the immediate future.
The New Jersey rotation was a success. Most players and fans seem to enjoy the theater lighting at home games. So far, it seems like a good start to Lore-Rodriguez’s ownership era, but it’s only the beginning.
Will the Wolves make the play-in tournament?
No (Win top 6) (88.2%)
The narrative around the team may make it seem like the ship is about to sink, but ultimately they are closer to the number two seed than the play-in tournament. Things seem to be going pretty much as planned.
Will the Wolves make the playoffs?
Previous answer: Yes (75.9%)
What do you hope the Wolves accomplish most over the next quarter of the season?
Increase the effectiveness and consistency of defensive efforts
Most of the answers here fell into three categories. Resolve the point guard situation, be more consistent from opponent to opponent, and stabilize the defense. All valid points. The latter received the most votes, however, as the Wolves went from a lower-tier defense to a higher-tier defense over the course of a game.
With a quarter of the regular season complete, my feelings on the direction of the Wolves are…
Slightly optimistic (61.8%)
Pre-season: Very optimistic (63.3%)
Preseason always seems like the perfect time to be optimistic. A few untimely injuries and heavy losses have changed the mood somewhat, but only a small handful of voters are not optimistic about the team.
The first progress report features the Wolves sitting at a 2.92 GPA. Would your parents be proud of you, or sadly disappointed (as mine would be) with an average just below a B?
