Written by Andy | 16 February 2011

Doug Wallick/FlickrIn a display of energy and motivation rarely seen, the defense of the Minnesota Timberwolves buckled down for a key possession Monday night, forcing the Blazers to use nearly half of the shot clock as they had to pass the ball two times before scoring on an alley-oop dunk by LaMarcus Aldridge.

"We've really been focusing on our defense these past couple of weeks," said Minnesota head coach Kurt Rambis, whose team is surrendering over 108 points-per-game, last in the NBA. "Now, completely stopping our opponent may be unrealistic at this point, but I think it's starting to click with our guys that we should try to make the other team pass the ball a few times or dribble around a bit before they score."

Rambis says defense was difficult for his roster at the beginning of the season, as many players had yet to master the skill of shuffling.

"There was a lot of falling down and a lot of scraped-up knees, but we're starting trip over our feet much less," said Rambis, adding that he has almost broken his players from their habit of standing still while their opponent is dribbling, bobbing their heads up and down to the rhythm of the basketball. "By the end of the season, I am confident we will achieve our goal of stopping a team from scoring for a full possession."

The Timberwolves displayed another flash of improved defense in the 3rd quarter when they pressured Blazers guard Wesley Matthews to take three dribbles before hitting a wide open 18-foot jumper.

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