Erratic play has defined the first half of the season for the Minnesota Timberwolves, whose current three-game winning streak is their third of the season of at least three contests.
The Timberwolves have also recorded five losing skids of at least three games, an indication of just how elusive consistency has been for the team.
However, Minnesota may have unlocked something significant in its 128-115 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, a victory that preceded a quick two-game road trip that starts on Sunday against the Houston Rockets.
Minnesota center Rudy Gobert posted his third career 20-point, 20-rebound game in the victory by pairing a season-high-tying 25 points with 21 rebounds. The Timberwolves initially struggled with spacing after the offseason acquisition of Gobert from Utah, then labored to find successful lineups once they lost three-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns to a calf injury in late November.
The offensive cohesion against the Clippers might have offered a glimpse of what’s to come.
Gobert credited guard D’Angelo Russell and swingman Kyle Anderson for helping him enjoy the breakout performance. Russell and Anderson combined for 10 of the Timberwolves’ 28 assists.
With the Rockets and Detroit Pistons on deck, the Timberwolves will face two of the worst teams in the league with a chance to climb back to .500 while passing the midpoint of the schedule. Doing so would mark modest progress for a team in search of something positive to build upon.
The Rockets have dropped 11 of 12 games and eight consecutive at home. While positive developments have been more difficult to come by in Houston, the Rockets did welcome back forward Jae’Sean Tate to their rotation in a 131-114 home loss to the Jazz on Thursday.
Tate had missed 35 games with an ankle injury. His return should provide the Rockets additional ballhandling and another option to orchestrate their offense beyond guard Kevin Porter Jr., who entering Saturday is tied with Warriors guard Jordan Poole with a league-high 138 turnovers.
