[ad_1]
The Minnesota Timberwolves have the NBA’s No. 1 protection. However their finest defender is not going to the All-Star Recreation.
Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Cities had been each named Western Convention All-Stars Thursday. The Timberwolves have the perfect file within the Western Convention, and Edwards and Cities are returning to the All-Star Recreation consequently.
They’re each large offensive gamers, however the Wolves’ rise to the highest of the West has been pushed by their protection, which is No. 1 in defensive score. They maintain opponents to the fewest factors within the NBA, the worst taking pictures share on two-pointers and quit the fewest rebounds.
All these are primarily as a result of efforts of heart Rudy Gobert, the three-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Participant of the 12 months. He is averaging 13.4 factors, 12.4 rebounds and a pair of.1 blocks whereas sustaining a miniscule defensive score of 104 factors per 100 possessions.
Not solely is Gobert the anchor of the Wolves protection, he is additionally its designer. Gobert was impressed to remodel Minnesota’s defensive schemes throughout a 64-hour darkness retreat.
Edwards and Cities are undoubtedly having nice years. Edwards is averaging 25.5 factors and 5.2 assists, whereas Cities is scoring 22.7 factors and grabbing 8.7 rebounds, whereas making greater than 44 p.c of his three-pointers.
But it surely exhibits how offense is the first focus of the All-Star Recreation when the perfect defender on the league’s finest protection cannot sniff the All-Star reserves.
[ad_2]
Source link
