Have The Wolves Turned The Corner And What Will The Lynx Do With The Second Pick?
The Timberwolves survived a rough week with a .500 record, but have a tough game in Philly ahead. Derek also looks at what the Lynx may do with the second-overall pick in this spring's draft.
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If the first 15 or so games of the season have taught us anything, this Timberwolves team can lose to anyone. I would not have expected that before the season but we have seen some disturbingly listless losses to teams like the Spurs and Knicks.
On paper, this should be a team with the talent to beat anyone on a given night in the regular season. In practice, that has not been the case. To no one’s shock, the Wolves lost to Phoenix and Memphis last week. Considering the bulk of their victories this season have come against the likes of the Lakers, Rockets and Thunder— the dregs of the NBA.
It’s this reason I do not discount their victory on Sunday in Cleveland despite the Cavs missing Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen. Darius Garland dropped 51 points as the Cavs charged back from trailing by 24 in the third quarter to a narrow five-point defeat. Just like we saw against the Suns and Grizzlies, the Timberwolves managed to avoid a meltdown.
Even against the Magic, who entered Wednesday’s game with a 4-10 record, a win was no certainty. Orlando, like Cleveland, was shorthanded with Paolo Ranchero out. But the biggest reason I was unconvinced of a Wolves victory was that they do not play well in Orlando. The Timberwolves are just 8-25 all-time in Orlando. Even at the Magic’s franchise lows, they have often given the Wolves fits at home.
This time, the Timberwolves won a wire-to-wire game they led by as much as 27. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards combined for 65 points on 22-for-35 shooting. Oh, but Bol Bol did block Rudy Gobert, which is how I would imagine a fight between two Ents playing out.
Feeling positive about the results of the last two games is okay even if their opponents were short handed. You can only play who is in front of you and is not about moral victories. With the way the Wolves began the season, the bar is too low for moral victories. Beating these teams or winning these games is the thing serious teams do. These are the steps we needed to see this team take.
It’s Definitely Not Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Ah, the Sixers. There has been no shortage of drama between these teams. I remember being in attendance when the 0-14 Sixers came to Target Center and nearly beat the Wolves.
Then there was the time Joel Embiid called Towns out for not defending him during a game and of course, the Embiid-Towns brouhaha in October 2019.
Who could forget the 149-107 drubbing Jimmy Butler laid on the Timberwolves in his first game against them since his trade from Minnesota. I had forgotten that Towns had just 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting, three rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes. That was an all-timer.
There never seems to be a loss for drama when the Sixers go to Philadelphia. While the Sixers have not been as disappointing as the Timberwolves, I think people are surprised to see them at 7-7 (as of this writing) instead of looking like a contender.
Stealing a victory in Philly would be a great sign for the Timberwolves, but also extend their winning streak to a season high of three (3).
WNBA Draft Lottery, Lynx To Pick Second
In the last edition, I wrote about Cheryl Reeve’s return and the challenge of bringing the Lynx back to the postseason. Last Wednesday, the WNBA had its annual draft lottery and the Lynx drew the second-overall pick in the draft.
I say this with the disclaimer that this is not a brag, but as someone who watches zero men’s or women’s college basketball, I do not have a deep understanding of any of the prospects. However, it does seem as if South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston will go first to Indiana, who have been bad for so long.
For the Lynx, experts are divided early. Some feel Stanford’s Haley Jones would be the best player available, but may clash stylistically with Napheesa Collier who play the same position. Winsidr mocked Stanford center Haley Jones to the Lynx as Sylvia Fowles’ successor. Since the draft is not until April 10, we have a lot of time to learn more about this team’s needs and the direction they will take.
Thanks for the excellent read Derick! It’s hard to fathom the Wolves ever truly turning the corner, but one can carry that optimistic refrain until we see solid chemistry... next spring?