The Timberwolves’ most used five-man lineup this season is, unsurprisingly, the starting five. Such is the case for most NBA teams. But with that in mind, it’s ideal that group would be the most effective combination.

And it has not been for the Wolves, particularly of late.

Minnesota’s starting unit of Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley has played 207 minutes together over the team’s last 15 games. In those minutes, Minnesota is being outscored by 2.5 points per 100 possessions.

The lineup plays slow and struggles to score.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Minnesota was “doomed by a poor start” in the team’s loss to Detroit on Saturday, noting “the start was low energy.” That has often been the case of late, with only a few exceptions. Which raises the question of whether a change to the starting five could occur.

Answer: No.

Finch has been asked that numerous times in the past couple weeks, and his stance has been firm.

“If I felt that the magic bullet was changing the starting lineup, I would’ve done that already,” he told reporters Saturday.

On Saturday, he felt the starting lineup’s offense was “OK,” but noted the defense wasn’t up to snuff. That’s been the real drawback for that unit this season — it rarely sets a tone the rest of the team can carry forward in the contest.

Too often, the responsibility falls onto the shoulders of the reserves to provide a spark or turn the tide. Finch noted the first group should dominate the glass with its size — McDaniels, Gobert and Randle provide plenty of that — but Minnesota was bludgeoned on the boards by the Pistons.

After advancing to the Western Conference finals last season, Minnesota is 17-17 through 34 games, and currently in the midst of a three-game losing skid. A growing sample size suggests the team may just be average, at least within its current mode of operation. So, there would be merit in changing something up for the sake of change itself.

Onlookers have called for an adjustment to the starting five for weeks. Finch hasn’t budged.

“I don’t think I’m being particularly stubborn,” he told reporters. “There’s a chain reaction to everything that you do. There are other combinations and things that go on on the floor that are just as important, if not more important, than the starting lineup.”

Not every game is some disaster for the starting five. There are many times when that unit holds serve, even against quality opponents. But the general production from the pieces within the starting unit has waned.

Edwards’ has been very up and down. He scored 53 points against Detroit but failed to crack 20 in each of his previous three outings. Conley is struggling with his shot again the past couple of games and at times looks overwhelmed by opposing size and athleticism. McDaniels is as inconsistent as they come offensively, and Gobert’s defense hasn’t been elite.

At least most of those things need to correct themselves before that unit takes off. But it appears as though the head coach is willing to allow more time for that to take place.

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