The Minnesota Timberwolves are riding high after their 4-1 series win over the third-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs. And the Timberwolves did not just defeat the powerful Lakers team led by LeBron James ad Luka Doncic; they ran them off the court. With their pressure defense and multiple offensive weapons, Minnesota proved too much for the hearlded Lakers to handle.
Wrapped in all this was the changing of the guard in the NBA. You saw the further growth of young superstar Anthony (Ant) Edwards start to eclipse the future hall of famer James. As a team, they showed the fire, determination, and flexibility to make a deep playoff run not just this year but also well into the future.
Wolves are More than Just Ant
And while it is tempting to dwell on the uber-talented Ant, this team deploys many options that can hurt you offensively and defensively. Game 5 of the Lakers series is a perfect example. The Timberwolves clinched the series on a night when Ant shot only 5-19 from the field, including a wretched 0-11 from beyond the arc.
How did they do it? One factor was that the forgotten player in the series, center Rudy Gobert had an incredible game scoring 27 points and ripping down 24 rebounds. And Julius Randle, playing some of his best basketball of the season pitched in 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
The more you watch the Wolves, the more you appreciate the flexibilty of their lineup. They can play big with Rudy in there, small ball with Naz Reid and Randle at the forward positions, or they can mix the two up in the course of the game. They have multiple players who can dish the ball including Ant, Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Mike Conley, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Need to shut down the opposing team’s leading scorer? Wolves coach Chris Finch can dial up a menu of Jaden McDaniels, Walker, Ant, and Conley.
The Warriors
The Timberwolves open their second round tonight at home against the always dangerous Gilden State Warriors. The Warriors are, of course, led by the superstar tandem of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. Coach Finch said he would deploy the usual suspects to slow Curry down. And Butler will get a hostile reception from the hometown crowd who still remember his drama filled exit from the Wolves in 2018.
And with 6.6 Draymond Green manning the post for Golden State, they generally deploy a smaller lineup, which should provide some opportunities for Gobert to shine. Thankfully, the Wolves have multiple scoring options besides Ant. As mentioned, Gobert scored 27 buckets in the first-round clincher, McDaniels was the team’s leader scorer in Games 1 and 3 of the series, and Randle topped the list in Game 2.
Intangibles
Another big advantage that the Wolves have over the Warriors is the production of their bench players. In their closeout win over the Houston Rockets, their only bench point came from Kevon Looney (3). Their reserve players are one of the strengths of this Minnesota team as Reid, DiVincenzo, and Alexander-Walker all contribute heavily to the team’s success. The Wolves have not played since last Wednesday, so they should have fresher legs against the older Warriors.
Under coach Steve Kerr, Golden State is always a formidable opponent, and coach Finch will ensure that the Timberwolves player’s focus remains on the next game ahead of them. But if they survive this matchup and move on to the conference semifinals, their Western Conference foes will be looking over their shoulders at the oncoming Wolves.
So, I ask: Does anyone want to play the Timberwolves in the NBA Playoffs?
