Minnesota struggled mightily to defend without Rudy Gobert on the floor early this season. The rim protector-less frontcourt combination of Naz Reid and Julius Randle was getting torched nightly.

Then Timberwolves coach Chris Finch and Co. found a solution in the form of their 6-foot-5 bulldog. The presence of Jaylen Clark seems to be making all the difference for Minnesota.

When Minnesota tried to lean on Reid and Randle for its offense in the fourth quarter on Saturday against Denver, with Clark on the bench, the Nuggets picked Minnesota's defense apart while scoring 36 points in the final frame.

Since Oct. 26, the Randle-Reid combination has allowed 118 points per 100 possessions — a rough number. But when Clark joins them on the floor, that dips to 106.3, which would equal the secon

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