The Minnesota Timberwolves have been preparing for this game against the Lakers for a long time. Garnett and Guglielota are the Timberwolves' best mid-range shooters, while the Lakers' strong interior defense doesn't extend well to mid-range and long-range coverage.
At this moment, Kenny Anderson and Zhang Hao together led the team with equally sharp offense, keeping the game in a stalemate.
By the mid-first quarter, when the Timberwolves called a timeout, the Lakers were leading the Timberwolves by 3 points at 19 to 16.
During this period, if O'Neal continued to push hard, the offensive efficiency might increase somewhat, but the defensive protection in the close range and under the basket might not be as effective.
They can't always rely on Zhang Hao to defend two or even three players by himself under the basket.
The lead is small, but Del Harris is very pleased with the adjustments made by Kenny Anderson.
