Jonathan Kuminga may end up being the piece that tells the whole story for the Timberwolves’ rebounding.
Minnesota walked away from Monday night’s preseason opener with a 116-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, and there was plenty to like. But the glass gave the Wolves a reality check. They finished with a 51-47 edge in rebounds overall, yet Milwaukee controlled stretches of the night, especially when Rudy Gobert wasn’t on the floor.
The Bucks piled up nine offensive rebounds, and those extra chances turned into 15 of their 48 first-half points, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski. Milwaukee also won the offensive-rebound battle 14-9 for the game. Outside of Joan Beringer’s seven boards off the bench, no Timberwolves player had more than four rebounds besides Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, who each finished with four.
“We’re kind of limited in size at the four position,” Edwards admitted to Krawczynski after the game. “They had Kel’el Ware and Myles Turner out there with Jericho Sims, so just box out instead of outjumping, because we ain’t going to win that way.”
That’s the trade-off Minnesota is living with. The Wolves wanted to get younger and faster, and Monday showed that. But they’ve also swapped out some size, and that matters when possessions get messy and rebounds are there to be won.
A big part of that comes from what Julius Randle and Naz Reid are no longer giving them. Both departures were part of a larger give-and-take, but they were still second and third on the team in rebounds per game last season and combined for 11.9 boards a night. That doesn’t sound massive next to Gobert’s 11.5 rebounds per game, but it was still a meaningful hit for a team that ranked 19th in defensive rebound percentage a year ago.
Rebounding was already on Chris Finch’s mind before Kuminga even signed with the team last month. Finch told MinnPost’s Britt Robson in an interview released Sept. 14 that it was a point he had stressed to Kuminga.
“I think the rebounding piece is important,” Finch told MinnPost’s Britt Robson during an interview that was released on Sept. 14. “I was just talking to [Kuminga] today: ‘If you rebound at a high level for us, it is going to be such a shot in the arm.”
Kuminga didn’t exactly deliver that shot Monday. He had just two rebounds in 14 minutes, and the adjustment with Minnesota’s new group is still very much in progress.
“We all gotta go watch film, work on it, and practice it so we can be a good rebounding team and not just leave Rudy by himself on the boards,” Jonathan Kuminga said. “We all, collectively, have to go get it. It’s something we’ve been talking about, and we’ve got to get better at it.”
Even the bright spots came with strings attached. Beringer tied Gobert for the team lead in rebounds, but he also picked up three fouls in just under six first-half minutes. Finch called the 19-year-old “a work in progress,” and that fits the way Minnesota’s rebounding looked in the opener.
The challenge is waiting in the conference. The Houston Rockets led the NBA last season with 48.1 rebounds per game, and the San Antonio Spurs were right behind them at 47.0. The Oklahoma City Thunder tied Minnesota at 44.1 rebounds per game, but they still bring back Isaiah Hartenstein, who averaged 9.4 rebounds per game, and Chet Holmgren, who averaged 8.9.
There are reasons to think the Wolves can get this sorted out. Beringer averaged 10.5 rebounds per 36 minutes during his rookie season.
Kuminga has never been a big rebounder, averaging 4.2 boards per game for his career, but he did show progress last season with a career-high 5.6 rebounds per contest and 8.8 rebounds per 36 minutes. Ball’s four rebounds in 17 minutes were also part of the effort.
Edwards’ point was simple: with this group, technique matters as much as bounce. One preseason game doesn’t make a verdict. But if Minnesota is going to turn a promising night into something bigger in the Western Conference, the rebounding has to sharpen up - and Kuminga’s work at the four may end up being the difference.
In Other News...
Joan Beringer Could Fix A Timberwolves Problem Fans Know Too Well
Joan Beringer enters his second season with a clear opening on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster: the chance to handle the minutes behind Rudy Gobert. For a team that has long had to manage the non-Gobert stretches carefully, that matters. Beringers appeal is straightforward enough for a coaching staff to appreciate. He brings athleticism, a promising defensive profile and enough presence around the basket to give Minnesota a different look at center when the starter sits.
The bigger question is how much of that potential shows up right away. Beringer is still a developing player, but his value could reach beyond simple backup duty if his defense translates the way the Wolves hope and his offense adds some easy finish opportunities at the rim. For a team built on making life difficult for opponents, even modest progress there could make a noticeable difference in the minutes that have too often been a soft spot. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Finch Sees One Early Sign Wolves Fans Will Love In LaMelo Ball
As Minnesota settles into the early stages of the season, Chris Finch has been paying close attention to LaMelo Balls fit and, more importantly, to the parts of his game that can sharpen the Timberwolves right away. The coachs perspective matters here because Minnesota is not looking for a reinvention so much as a seamless addition of talent, and Finchs read on Ball has centered on the idea that the guard can bring his usual style without being boxed into something unfamiliar.
The encouraging part for Wolves fans is the way Finch has framed Balls preseason work on the defensive end, where Minnesota has been searching for signs that his tools can translate beyond the highlight plays. With his length and awareness already drawing notice alongside Rudy Gobert, there is at least a real opening for Ball to contribute in a way that fits the Wolves identity, even if the full picture of his role is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Joan Beringer Just Gave Timberwolves Fans A Reason To Watch Him Closely
Joan Beringer gave the Timberwolves a useful look in their preseason meeting with the Bucks, showing why the front office is still intrigued by his long-term upside in the frontcourt. The young big man looked more comfortable as a screener and more dependable around the rim than he did as a rookie, which matters for a Minnesota team that is always searching for size and reliability inside.
The performance also came with a reminder that his development is still a work in progress. Foul trouble clipped his stint and kept him from building on the strong stretches he flashed, leaving the Wolves with the same kind of question they have had around him all along: how quickly can he turn promising tools into something they can count on every night? [Read more 🡒]