The Timberwolves got a harsh reminder on Saturday that their frontcourt depth has a real weak spot when Rudy Gobert isn’t available.
Minnesota was already dealing with Victor Wembanyama doing Victor Wembanyama things for San Antonio - 43 points and six blocks - but the bigger issue for the Wolves was what happened after Gobert sat out with back spasms. That pushed Trey Lyles into backup center duty, and the Spurs made the most of it.
Lyles, who is soon to be 31, has been part of Minnesota’s rotation all season, but he has usually been playing next to either Gobert or Joan Beringer. Against San Antonio, that safety net disappeared. And once Beringer left the floor, the Wolves had trouble protecting the rim and controlling the glass.
The Spurs scored 20 points in the final 4:34 of the first quarter after Lyles entered and Beringer exited. During that burst, San Antonio finished three plays in the paint and also found open threes after collapsing Minnesota’s defense with drives.
The same pattern showed up again late in the third quarter. After Beringer picked up four fouls and headed to the bench, the Spurs scored 15 points in the final 5:23 of the period with Lyles staying on the floor the rest of the way. Minnesota again had a hard time stopping them.
The rebounding numbers told an even uglier story. Most of Lyles’ time on the court - 14:19 of his 16:46 total minutes - came without Beringer beside him, and in that stretch San Antonio outrebounded Minnesota 18-8. Lyles is a capable rebounder in general, but he didn’t collect one on Saturday.
That’s where the Wolves’ size advantage vanished. Gobert is listed at 7-foot-1, Beringer is also listed as a 7-footer, and both give Minnesota real length around the rim.
Lyles, at 6-foot-9, simply doesn’t bring the same kind of deterrence. He’s not a natural rim protector, and he isn’t a positive defender in that role.
Some fans may have been fine with Gobert sitting out, especially with his offensive struggles through the first six games and Beringer getting his first start of the season. But that move also pulled Beringer out of the bench group and exposed how thin Minnesota can look when Lyles has to anchor the middle.
The takeaway from Saturday was pretty clear: if Lyles has to play backup center minutes, the Timberwolves are going to feel it. The rim protection drops off, and the rebounding battle gets a lot harder to win.
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For a team that has already felt how thin the margin can be when the rotation gets hit, any sign of progress from DiVincenzo matters. His eventual return is viewed as a potential boost to Minnesotas backcourt depth and overall competitiveness, and the latest outlook at least gives the Timberwolves reason to think the wait may not be as long or as uncertain as it once seemed. [Read more 🡒]
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Beringer is averaging 18.7 minutes and 7.1 points on 60.6 percent shooting, while Gobert is at 29.9 minutes and 7 points on 41.2 percent shooting. If that trend holds, the bigger question may not be whether Beringer deserves a larger role, but how quickly he can earn it by holding up defensively and giving Chris Finch another trusted option in the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Are Making A Bold Long Term Bet On Joan Beringer
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For a team trying to build around a young core, that kind of commitment says plenty about how the front office sees his future. Beringer is not just another promising reserve getting a longer look, he is being positioned as a long-term fit with the group. The bigger question now is how far Minnesota is willing to go to keep that belief intact as the rest of the league starts to notice. [Read more 🡒]