The Timberwolves starting lineup, with three new players, has been a chemistry experiment from Day 1, as players get used to each other and get to know each of their individual talents.
Same with the bench.
Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson are the Wolves' new starters. New to the bench are former starter Gorgui Dieng and Jamal Crawford.
Things appear to be coming together. Last season, with less depth forcing more minutes onto the starters, the Timberwolves ranked dead last in the league in points off the bench (22.8). Through Sunday's game the Wolves were 21st in bench scoring at 31.1. But, in the three games before Sunday's game with Charlotte, that number grew to 37.7 points, which puts Minnesota in the middle of the NBA pack.
That number should keep growing.
Reserves played 45 minutes Wednesday in Minnesota's victory at New Orleans. In Saturday's victory over Dallas the number was 31. But, while the reserves struggled a bit to start the fourth quarter, they earlier helped put distance between the Wolves and the Mavericks in the first half. Coach Tom Thibodeau starting going to his bench with 2:55 left in the first quarter and the Wolves up six. By the time the starters returned with less than six minutes left in the second quarter, the lead had grown to 16.
"They are executing well,'' Thibodeau said. "When the bench plays well, we're going to be tough to beat.''
Crawford said it's just a matter of time. "We're learning what sets are good for us, and we're bringing energy,'' he said. "We're learning to play off each other.''