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MINNEAPOLIS -- Tom Thibodeau came to Minnesota in part to solve the Timberwolves' defensive woes, but the second-year coach has so much more to prove heading to Houston for a first-round playoff series as a decided underdog against the turbocharged Rockets.
Headline writers already are measuring "How Sweep It Is" for bold type and automated insert to bury the Wolves, who must corral one of the greatest offenses in NBA history if they want to survive their toughest possible matchup.
No wonder forward Taj Gibson joked Friday that Thibodeau has been sleeping in his office since the Wolves clinched the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with Wednesday's overtime victory over Denver in the regular-season finale.
"I don't think he went home," Gibson said. "I've seen the coaches come in late night. I think everybody's ramped up as far as scouting. He's a guru with that kind of stuff. I can always count on Thibs to have the right kind of game plan going. We just have to execute."
Thibodeau was renowned for his defensive schemes and ability to make proper in-game adjustments against opponents in resurrecting the Chicago Bulls into an elite Eastern Conference team. But it has not translated so far in Minnesota.
The Wolves finished the season ranked 27th in defense, yielding 111.1 points per 100 possessions. They also finished dead last in three-point shooting.
The relentless Rockets, led by the one-two backcourt punch of MVP candidate James Harden and Chris Paul, set a new standard for three-point proficiency and offensive intimidation. Wolves guard Jimmy Butler, still working his way back from a torn meniscus, will be tasked with shadowing Harden.
Minnesota lost all four games to the Rockets this season, by an average of 16 points, struggling to keep pace or somehow counter punch.
"The way they shoot the three, the way they put pressure on the rim, it will test your defense at all times," said Thibodeau. "Two or three bad minutes can really hurt you. When you have two elite players like they do, you can't give them a steady diet. You have to mix things up, change defenders, change numbers, and you have to be able to do that when you're tied together (on the court)."
The Rockets have been on a championship mission since ruining Golden State's banner-raising ceremony on Opening Night. They posted three separate winning streaks of at least 10 games.
Their greatest danger, perhaps, is overlooking Minnesota, which is basking in the afterglow of snuffing a 14-year playoff drought.
Thibodeau's reputation as a defensive mastermind is under scrutiny. The Wolves have not gelled on that side of the ball as expected.
But the postseason is a place for redemption. Having a singular opponent on which to focus and plenty of time between games might allow Thibodeau to design a formula that not only works against the Rockets but reaffirms his stature as the coach who can shut teams down.
"They're going to know what we're doing, we're going to know what they're doing, and then it becomes, have you mastered all the fundamentals of the game?" Thibodeau said.
Perhaps something clicked in the playoff-clinching victory over the Nuggets.
The Wolves limited Denver to 2-of-8 shooting from the field in the extra session, punctuated by Gibson's heroic block and steal of Nikola Jovic in the final seconds.
But there were 81 other games for which to answer.
"At times we were good defensively, at times we were bad," point guard Jeff Teague admitted. "Having the opportunity to have Jimmy back on the court has helped us a lot, but I guess you could say we were up and down."
The NBA's chattering class figures the Wolves already are down and out against Houston. Thibodeau has a chance to reset expectations.
"We know we have to play great," he said. "I think our team has gotten better all year long. Jimmy going down, we had to show a toughness and resiliency to get through that and get in. I want us to just keep getting better every day."