With an improbable series upset, the Minnesota Timberwolves are taking on the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semi-Finals! With the T-Wolves holding a 2-1 record over the Spurs in the regular season, we are in for an interesting fight. Can the shorthanded Wolves pull off back-to-back series upsets, or will San Antonio make their first Western Conference Finals appearance for the first time since 2017? Let’s dive into it!
Spurs/Wolves Round 1 Recap
San Antonio made short order of the Portland Trail Blazers, defeating them 4-1. At times, it appeared that Portland’s length was giving the Spurs trouble. However, the overall talent discrepancy was the biggest difference between the two. Their superstar, Victor Wembanyama, was dominant, averaging 21 ppg, 8.8 rpg, and 3.2 bpg.
Let’s turn to the Timberwolves. Last night, they defeated the Denver Nuggets to close out the series in six games. They didn’t make it out unscathed, though, losing Anthony Edwards for multiple weeks and Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the playoffs, and potentially next season. Rudy Gobert’s numbers didn’t speak to the dominant impact he had on the floor. He was sensational against Nikola Jokic.
Timberwolves Keys To Pull Off Another Upset
If the Minnesota Timberwolves want to compete and defeat the Spurs in round two, they must play with the exact same tenacity and aggression they used to bully the Nuggets. Now they are without their starting backcourt, Edwards and DiVincenzo, but that didn’t seem to slow them down.
We had historic performances from Ayo Dosunmu to take the 3-1 lead when they went down and Terrence Shannon Jr. last night. That was only the 25-year-old’s fourth start in his career, and TSJ finished with 24 points and 6 rebounds in their Game 6 win.
Head Coach Chris Finch used a lineup that I believe will be the key to success in this series. That lineup included Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Rudy Gobert. I assume Dosunmu will be the 5th player on the court when he returns. I can see that lineup giving the Spurs problems because of its versatility. The only issue on the court is that they won’t be able to keep up with San Antonio’s dynamic guards.
Spurs’ Keys to Advancing
The Spurs have been one of the best teams in the NBA all season long. Despite losing the regular-season battle 1-2, two of the three games were decided 104-103 and 126-123. Where San Antonio can take advantage of their roster is their depth. The T-Wolves are leading the playoffs in bench points with 39 ppg. You can argue that the Spurs have the best bench in the league. I mean, they do have the 6th Man of the Year, Keldon Johnson.
The matchup everyone is going to have their eyes on is Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. The two Frenchmen have been training and playing together for a long time. If Wemby’s ability to stretch the floor can pull Gobert away from the rim, they have the perimeter talent to break down their defender and get to the rack with minimal rim protection.
De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle need to continue their stellar play as well. The Spurs’ starting backcourt has combined for 40 ppg, 12.8 apg, with only 5.6 turnovers per game. Their TO average is slightly inflated due to the 7 Castle had in Game 5. It’s been great to see how quickly Fox’s presence has injected confidence in this young team.
Series Prediction
As much as I would love to see Minnesota go on a Cinderella run, the Spurs should make quick work of the T-Wolves. If they were fully healthy, this series would go a tough 6-7 games. Unless Julius Randle climbs on Rudy Gobert’s shoulders, I don’t see much slowing down Wemby. Yes, they did slow down and stifle Nikola Jokic. The Alien and the Joker are two completely different players.
San Antonio Spurs Defeat Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1
Final Thoughts
I believe NBA fans won’t enjoy this series as much because we could have had Jokic vs Wemby in a seven-game series, and Anthony Edwards’ injury puts a damper on it. Game 1 of the series is on Monday. Who do you think advances to the Western Conference Finals? Can the Timberwolves pull off another upset?
As always, thank you so much for checking out my preview and thoughts on the San Antonio Spurs facing off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semi-Finals! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day and look forward to seeing you again soon.
