Back in the Western Conference Finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves hope to take a step forward this year and make it to the NBA Finals. On the other side of the bracket, they wait for the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder–Denver Nuggets series. And if they are being honest, the Timberwolves would much rather play the Denver Nuggets. It seems like they have their number.
Timberwolves Can Start Rooting for the Denver Nuggets
Unlike last year, the Timberwolves will have a few days of rest before the start of the Western Conference Finals. Last year, they went through a gruelling seven-game series against the Nuggets, and three days later, they played the Dallas Mavericks. They were exhausted, mentally and physically, and were no match for Luka Doncic. Despite the memories of that tough series against the Nuggets, they would still love to play them again. Let’s take a look at the Timberwolves’ matchup options against the Nuggets and the Thunder.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets, a One-Sided Matchup
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a six-game winning streak against the Denver Nuggets going back to last year’s playoffs. They were down 3-2, and then won two in a row. They even won Game 7 in Denver after being down 15 at halftime. This season, they won all four games. In their last matchup, Nikola Jokic scored 61 points, but even that wasn’t enough.
Looking at Jokic specifically, there has been a lot of talk about how the Timberwolves were built to defeat Denver and defend the Joker. But this season, he posted averages of 35.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9.5 assists on 59.3% shooting against Minnesota. In his last 10 games against Minnesota, he averaged 31.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 8.4 assists on 55.6% shooting. What the Timberwolves do great is defend Jokic without help, lowering his effectiveness as a passer and distributor.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, an Even Matchup
In the last two seasons, OKC and Minnesota have split the season series. Both teams have won at home and on the road, making it an extremely even matchup. In fact, the Timberwolves were one of the few teams in the Western Conference that had a positive or even record against the Thunder. OKC was also 2-2 against the Denver Nuggets and 1-2 against the Golden State Warriors.
Going deeper into the Thunder–Timberwolves matchup, here is an interesting fact. In both wins, Anthony Edwards was not the leading scorer for Minnesota. Naz Reid led them in one game, and Jaden McDaniels led them in the other game. But in both games, they had 20+ points. In the two losses, Ant was the leading scorer for Minnesota.
Can the Timberwolves Make it to the Finals?
Draymond Green surely thinks so. Speaking after the loss, he said,
“They got a chance. They got a real shot. Any time you’ve got a number two that can just go get it, you get yourself a chance to go make it happen and get a ring. The way Julius has been playing, since he came back from injury, he’s been lights out. He’s aggressive as hell, and he is going to go after it. So I think they got a real shot at it.”
These playoffs have been sort of like a “revenge tour” for Julius Randle. Before coming to Minnesota, fans criticized him for his lack of impact during his time with the New York Knicks. But in these playoffs, he has been awesome. Against the Warriors, he had games of 29 and 31 points to close the series. If he can be a true second option, Minnesota has a chance at making the Finals, and then who knows? Right now, they have the second-best odds to win the championship, right behind the Thunder.
Featured image: © Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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