On February 26, 2015, a quiet regular season game was the third game of Garnett's return to the Timberwolves (Timberwolves Wizards).
Earlier, we saw Garnett remain a top rebounder and a core of defense. Garnett, as the most defensive power forward in history, is not only physical, but also has excellent defensive judgment. He still averages 12 rebounds in 36 minutes and remains in the top 20 in many defensive categories, including defensive scoring, defensive box +/- and defensive RPM.
But these are all statistics. So if you don't care about numbers, trust your eyes.
To the Wizards: First Section 11:08,
Nene slipped across the bottom line to another. Garnett followed and scramble his shot, forcing him to deflect.
The rebound bounced to Temple. John Wall gave the ball back to Nene. Garnett realigned with Nene, forcing him to shoot overhead, allowing KG to block and grab the rebound.
Session 1 9: 25,
Garnett switched to Gotat and noticed Pekovic standing in front of Nene. When Wall crossed the overhead pass, KG immediately ran over to quickly make up for it, forming a bag.
Because Garnett was able to see and form a bag before the ball reached Nene, Nene was immediately trapped, and Nenet missed a 3-second violation.
First quarter 9:00,
Garnett performed well in the block, successfully blocking Wall's attempt to break through
He then pulled his body back at the angle of rotation and raised his hand, which also prevented Wall from passing the ball to Nene on the sidelines.
Garnett then guided Pekovic into the defensive line
Leads to Porter's mid-range jumper
It flew directly into KG's hands...
Second verse 4:05
Garnett's defensive mid-sink blocked Porter's offensive line and forced him to give up the ball
KG then left Nene to help Pekovic deal with the misplaced defense and take control of Wall, cutting off the pass. Wall was forced to pass the ball to Porter, who missed two points from distance
Second verse 3:25
Pekovic was swapped into a Wall misalignment during the block. Garnett left Nene again to help Pekovic make a bag, forcing Wall to make a tough jumper.
Gotat grabbed the rebound and threw it out. Garnett again stood defensive, blocking the offensive line and forcing a stoppage
He then jumped up and passed, causing Nene to make a mistaken catch, forcing him out of the inside position.
Garnett then surrounded Nene to give Kevin Martin time to step forward and force Nene to make a mistake.
Second quarter 2:00
Garnett plays a transitional defense as he returns to defense
Then immediately switch to Gotat, forcing the ball to continue moving along the arc
KG completed the block again and the ball was hoisted high to Gotat
Because Garnett passed the ball too high in front of him, Gotat failed to catch the ball
Second verse 0:55
Garnett confronted Gotat to block his offensive line
Then the ball was given to Nene, Garnett defended Nene, and Nenet came in with a mid-range shot
Garnett quickly sank back to the basket and grabbed the rebound rebound.
Second verse 0:06
Garnett left Gooden, walked to Devol with the ball, and made a delay in the block, forcing him to give up the ball. The scarf hit the ball on Temple, who threw it into the corner.
Garnett then turned all the way back to Gooden and made a block on the latter.
Gooden is really miserable, come to a famous scene
Garnett didn't play much time in this game, and the time went to 5:00 in the fourth quarter
Garnett again blocked the ball holder's offensive line, and the opponent forced the shot.
Garnett returned to the baseline and grabbed the rebound firmly
4:30 in the fourth quarter
After Rubio tripped over Nene, KG blocked Wall from the 3-point line
Garnett gradually pressed Wall, forcing him to abandon his offensive line and make a pass.
Notice how Martin fills inward, as Neneh is Wall's main target for passing. If Wall tries to throw the ball into a corner, he must get past the defense to give Martin time to run back. Garnett can defend against anyone.
Garnett then kept his eyes on Wall, and he could go up to defend Wall if needed, but he kept some distance to help Rubio deal with Nene
4th verse 3:25
Seeing Gotat being double-trapped, Garnett prepared to dodge the bottom line to intercept the pass below. Gotat's only option was Seraphim, who could only run outside to catch the ball
Garnett approached Seraphim and through Garnett made a bad pitch through a physical confrontation
Verse IV 2:20
Garnett confined Seraphim early, preventing him from gaining a deeper position
They then hoisted a pass to Seraphim, and the ball crossed the latter and went out of bounds, as Seraphim had been pushed into the corner by Garnett.
At this time, Seraphim shouted: Don't pass it on to me!
It's the kind of coordinated, powerful defense Wolves haven't played in years. This hasn't been since Garnett left in '07.
Not only does KG still have an excellent man-to-man defense, he has also brought a huge boost to Wolves' defence. Just like in the past, they're actually playing team defense now. Garnett may not be as agile as he used to be, but he still has big spider-like arms and perfect anticipation, timing, and communication skills. When you watch the game closely, you'll realize that a lot of the defensive moves of the other Wolves are good... Rubio steals, Wiggins steals, Pekovic rebounds... It actually all started with Garnett doing the dirty work.
Note that several of these games have been consecutive defenses, which is the impact Kevin Garnett has had on the team and why even at the age of 38, he is still ranked as one of the best defenders in the league.
This has a real impact on the game. Garnett's Return to the Timberwolves is definitely a fantastic homecoming fairy tale, but make no mistake – KG isn't just here to sell tickets and guide the young wolves. He can still play at an elite level on the defensive end of the court, which is why he is best described as "one-man defense".