Under Ryan Saunders, the Timberwolves were already in the top 10 in pace, averaging 101.2 possessions per game. Playing up-tempo on offense was a goal of President Gersson Rosas' when he came into the team two years.
But under new coach Chris Finch, the Wolves want to play even faster than that, and that was one of the most noticeable differences between the first two games of Finch's tenure and Saunders'.
In their two games under Finch, the Wolves averaged 103.8 possessions per game. If they maintain that pace going forward, that would be fast enough for second in the league.
But those numbers don't tell the full story of what it means to play with pace in the NBA. It's not always about how fast a shot goes up, but also the speed of the ball movement that may lead to a shot deeper in the shot clock.
"We don't want to confuse playing with pace with shooting quickly," Finch said. "It's not the same thing. We want to play with pace and make quicker decisions. We don't care if the shot comes with four seconds on the shot clock. But if it's a good one and it's open right away, we'll take that too."
But the Wolves are playing faster too, and that adjustment in speed might have shown up for them on the defensive end of the floor. The Bulls shot 59% on Wednesday in an overtime victory over the Wolves, while the Bucks shot 54% on Tuesday, when they scored 139 points in a blowout win.
"I wouldn't say we're out of shape but we got to get used to playing at that speed," Wolves forward Jarred Vanderbilt said. "The first half we're running and gunning, everybody's energy is up. It slows down a little bit and we have that one period of time where we let them go on a little run because we either get lazy or fatigued at a point."
Vanderbilt, who had 16 points and six rebounds against the Bulls, added the quicker speed seems to suit him more, especially as he tries to fight on the offensive glass, one of his strong suits.
"Previously I was kind of just in the dunker [role] and I wasn't in much action or involved," Vanderbilt said. "It is great offensive rebounding position. But it's a little tougher when you're down there and I'm just fighting with seven footers trying to get rebounds as opposed to flying in, get a better angle to grab some of the boards."
But when Vanderbilt or someone else doesn't get the offensive rebound on misses, it could lead to trouble.
Towns said a number of shots the Wolves took Wednesday he referred to as "fast-break starters" for the opposition.
"We're taking them so quick and with such pace that by the time we shoot them they're long misses that are coming right to people that are starting a fast break," Towns said. "And that can contribute to our defensive lapses`recently in the last two games. But at the end of the day, we can't make excuses."
Towns said practice time should help with that and the Wolves have two days off before their next game in Washington. A needed break after a hectic week.
"Your defensive transition starts with the shot selection" Finch said. "We've been preaching to them. It's only a short amount of time and we'll get there."
