Fansided

5 biggest disappointments of the 2016-17 NBA season

By Dre Elder

Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts as fans chant his name after a score against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts as fans chant his name after a score against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 21, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22), Karl-Anthony Towns (32), and guard Ricky Rubio (9) in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center. The San Antonio Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 100-93. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22), Karl-Anthony Towns (32), and guard Ricky Rubio (9) in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center. The San Antonio Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 100-93. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Minnesota Timberwolves

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Karl-Anthony Towns blossomed into one of the league’s elite young players during his rookie campaign. The emergence of Towns alongside young stars Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Ricky Rubio brought expectations for the 2016-17 season.

New head coach Tom Thibodeau was brought in to lead the ascension. The Timberwolves now had proven leadership to pair with their talented young core. As a result, they became a hot preseason sleeper pick. A shoo-in for the playoffs, right?

Wrong. The Timberwolves have earned admission to the draft lottery instead of the playoffs. Despite ranking tenth in the NBA in offensive efficiency, the Timberwolves offer little resistance on the defensive end. They rank near the bottom of the league in opponent field goal percentage and 3-point percentage.

Considering their coach’s defensive acumen, those stats are perplexing. But in this case, the numbers suggest blame should fall to the personnel. The culprits are LaVine, Wiggins, and Towns who each rank near the bottom of their positions in Defensive Real Plus-Minus.

Only three teams have fewer road victories than the Timberwolves this season. They are currently on pace to lose 50 games for the third consecutive season. And what about their prized 2016 first round draft pick?

The Timberwolves drafted Kris Dunn fifth overall to be their point guard of the future. Dunn is averaging an insignificant 3.7 points, 2.2 assists, in 17 minutes per game. The good news is this team has youth on its side. The bad news is the process ahead of them appears to be an arduous one.

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