“Terror Twins” became a viral nickname for the Houston Rockets defensive duo Amen Thompson and Tari Eason last season. Besides being the coolest nickname for a duo I’ve ever heard, this is something teams should try to replicate. Playing two versatile perimeter defenders together will make your opponents’ lives hell and strengthen your team’s overall defense. Currently, this duo has an absurd defensive rating of 105 per Cleaning the Glass.
The Minnesota Timberwolves rank tenth in defense, a good number, but not as great as in years past. In fact, this number is the lowest in the Rudy GT. To return to their elite defensive identity, the Wolves must let go of their version of the Terror Twins: Jaden McDaniels and Jaylen Clark.
I’ve been advocating for this duo to play every second Rudy Gobert is off the field. The non-Rudy minutes in particular have been a huge struggle for Minnesota, as he has a minus-14.5 on/off defensive swing.
Overall, though, bringing these two defensemen together more often would do wonders for the Wolves. In just 146 possessions, the Wolves have a DRTG of 107.5 (91st percentile) with McDaniels and Clark. This duo playing more together could spark a defensive surge for the Timberwolves.
McDaniels and Clark need to play together more
I think at this point every Timberwolves fan is hoping Clark gets more minutes. The Wolves are 12-0 when he plays over fourteen minutes. As the Wolves defense struggles to meet their standards, Clark needs to play more.
As far as this duo is concerned, both players are elite on-ball stoppers. Opponents are shooting just 40.8 percent against Clark and 43.8 percent when defended by McDaniels. Both players are also fantastic defensive playmakers. Especially against teams with multiple perimeter threats, the Wolves should use this duo more often than they do.
McDaniels is overly burdened as the Wolves’ primary offensive defenseman. Yes, he is an elite defender on the ball, but it is difficult to have him constantly guard the other team’s best player while having an extended offensive role. That’s where Clark comes in; he can take the pressure off
McDaniels, allowing him to roam around and wreak havoc with the ball.
McDaniels is extremely impactful on the ball, but he is also extremely disruptive off the ball. Using him off the ball will benefit from his overall defensive skills. Impressively, McDaniels ranks in the 96th percentile for blocks per 100 possessions, according to Databallr.
However, in general it is super difficult to score against two swarming defenders, which is a nightmare for opponents. The duo of McDaniels and Clark are especially challenging for opponents as they can take you out with the ball and wreak havoc on the ball.
Ultimately, pairing McDaniels and Clark more often could help turn the Wolves’ defense around.
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