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    Behind Enemy Lines: Getting to know the Minnesota Timberwolves

    The Phoenix Suns are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

    While the Suns have owned the Wolves in the regular season of late, they are a 56-win team who dominated for several stretches this season.

    How exactly did they position themselves in the 3rd seed out West and claim one of the best home records in the NBA? We’ll dive into everything you need to know about the Minnesota Timberwolves.

    The Wolves star big man will get some needed rest between games to ramp up for the playoffs and should be closer to 100% now than he was in his initial return. His status could be the deciding factor in how this series plays out, so we will monitor that closely.

    DPOY’s Impact: Rudy Gobert is a three-time defensive player of the year, and could be winning his fourth this season. In the past, he has been exposed (guarding in space) come playoff time, but his rim protection and interior defense are inevitable.

    Some of those issues were probably overblown and due to Utah’s lack of perimeter defense putting him in tough spots. Minnesota is better equipped than the Jazz teams were to prevent those attacks.

    Tim Hardaway and Allen Iverson have beef over a signature move

    Tim Hardaway doesn’t hate Allen Iverson, but he does hate Iverson’s crossover dribble. For years, Hardaway seemed like he might be THE little superstar point guard of the 1990s, and the crossover was his signature move.

    But at around the same time Hardaway got hurt and had to rebuild his career, along came Iverson to seize Hardaway’s throne. The fact that Iverson had a legendary crossover only made things worse. Immediately, and for decades afterward, Hardaway seethed about that crossover, creating a rare (and very petty) rules-based beef.

    Vanilla Gameplan: Did Minnesota purposefully not show much last time these two teams met?

    According to Minnesota assistant coach Mitch Nori: “Point being, Phoenix was going to be the matchup so we didn’t want to show an awful lot,” Nori told KFAN-FM 100.3’s Power Trip Morning Show (h/t All Timberwolves). “There’s some things we can do that they haven’t seen that hopefully will help us. Game 1 will be very, very important to get that one at home and be off and running in the series.”

    Minnesota has a strong guard core, with four players who excel at their roles. Mike Conley is a stable veteran who controls the flow of the offense when needed and makes savvy veteran decisions. Anthony Edwards is their engine offensively, capable of bursting for 40 points on any given night.

    Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a tough defender and capable scorer/shooter. He’s had some big games for Minnesota this season and could be the x-factor for their squad. Monte Morris may not play a ton depending on matchups, but he is another sound decision-maker who can hit shots.

    The Wolves’ wings and forwards aren’t world-beaters, but Jaden McDaniels is a tough defender and Kyle Anderson aka “Slow Mo” plays his role well as a jack of all trades.

    Anthony Edwards and NAW can roam as third guards alongside the two bigs and they deploy some unique lineups that aren’t traditional or modern.

    This matchup is going to be fun.

     

     

     

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