The Hornets Defeated Minnesota (121-113) Led By LaMelo’s 32 Point Performance

The Hornets Defeated Minnesota (121-113) Led By LaMelo’s 32 Point Performance

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by | Feb 25, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

Coming into this game the Timberwolves are still without Karl-Anthony Towns as they hope to get him back in the near future. This was the first game after the All-Star break and the Timberwolves needed to hit the ground running. The Timberwolves team moves the way Anthony Edwards moves right now and they need him big time down the stretch.

It was a tough game to watch if you’re a Timberwolves fan as the Hornets came out and did whatever they wanted. LaMelo Ball got too comfortable in the 1st half as he could drive, score, dish, and basically have his hands on the ball at all times. LaMelo showed up big time for the Hornets as the team moved to the beat of his drum. Anytime LaMelo had the ball in his hands he made a positive play and the Timberwolves were a step behind whatever he was doing. LaMelo finished the game with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists on the night. The Timberwolves weren’t making it tough on LaMelo in this game as he was doing as he pleased in that 1st half. It wasn’t until the 3rd quarter when Anthony Edwards took the challenge personally and was like I got LaMelo whenever he got the ball that they made a serious push. It was a little too late as the Timberwolves started clamping down on LaMelo but his teammates were already comfortable too. PJ Washington was one of those players that picked up the offensive scoring when the Timberwolves started to take LaMelo out of the game. PJ finished the game with 20 points, and 8 rebounds on the night. PJ was in the right place at all times it seemed as he was able to get some easy fast-break dunks after steals. The other player that looked like the All-Star version of himself was Gordon Hayward. Tonight Hayward made some tough shots and could keep their foot on the gas when Minnesota took LaMelo off the ball. Hayward finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists as he was able to do it all tonight. The Hornets were scrapping all night and it came down to a couple of big 3-pointers by LaMelo Ball to seal the deal for them as they were able to sneak out with a win.

The Timberwolves pretty much gave this game away because they are known to lock up on the defensive end and that creates their offense. Tonight that didn’t happen until the 2nd half and it was one of the reasons they were playing catch-up throughout the game. Anthony Edwards was special all night long but you can tell he needed someone to help him out with the scoring especially when he went to get rest. It seemed like every time Edwards went to the bench Ball was still in the game or was getting subbed back into the game. Edwards was able to get any shot he wanted tonight inside or outside it didn’t matter but his 29 points weren’t enough in this game. One thing that I loved is the fact he took the defensive challenge with LaMelo personally and it showed he wants to be one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Edwards wants to win at all costs and I think a game like this will go a long way for the rest of the season. Naz Reid was the second-leading scorer tonight and came off the bench blazing as he finished with 16 points. When Naz has his game going there are very few bigs in the league that can keep up with him it’s just all about consistency in the rotation. Rudy was able to get a big double double with 17 points and 10 rebounds but they needed a little bit more. This Timberwolves team has what it takes to make a big splash in the western conference especially when they get Karl Anthony Towns back. Once KAT comes back and once Mike Conley settles into his role in the offense things will be looking up for the Timberwolves as fans shouldn’t panic.

Up next the Timberwolves head to Golden State as they will be playing against a Klay Thompson that is scorching hot coming off an 11 3-pointer performance. The Timberwolves will need to lock in early so things don’t get out of hand and they come out with a victory.

Feb 25, 2023 No Comments
The New Look Minnesota Timberwolves Lose To The Memphis Grizzlies (128-107)

The New Look Minnesota Timberwolves Lose To The Memphis Grizzlies (128-107)

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by | Feb 11, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

 

 

The day started off with the breaking news that Anthony Edwards was going to be in the NBA All-Star Game. Edwards was selected as an injury replacement and got the news at the shootaround today. This was also the first game after the trade and the Minnesota Timberwolves were excited to have Conley Jr and Alexander-Walker available for tonight. The new-look Timberwolves were ready for all the smoke as they were ready to go toe to toe with their playoff rivals from last postseason.

 

The Timberwolves started this game off really well as Mike Conley Jr was able to make an instant impact. The ball was flowing and he was able to get the ball in the spots that Gobert/Edwards wanted to attack from the start. You can still see that the relationship is new as they had some minor mistakes but as time goes along these small hiccups can be straightened out with ease. The Timberwolves got a true leader in Mike Conley Jr and he showed a lot of those traits tonight out there. Anthony Edwards finished the game with 17 points and couldn’t really get his offense going as he shot 8/19 from the field. Edwards was attacking but didn’t get the calls and it didn’t help that the game was played in Memphis. Sometimes stars can get a call when they’re at home so once Edwards jumper was off it threw the whole game off for him. One thing that we didn’t see tonight was the defensive Ant that can use his defense to create easy offense but he will most definitely bounce back.

 

Anthony Edwards is an All-Star now and that comes with a lot of responsibility and accountability when it comes to your team. The starters struggled in this game but it was good to see Jaylen Nowell get into a shooting groove as he was able to add 21 points off the bench to be the games leading scorer for the Timberwolves. Nowell has shown glimpses of what he can do when he gets hot so hopefully this will continue leading into other games for the Timberwolves.  You have to give the Timberwolves a lot of credit they went out there with a new point guard and tried to make the best of it against a well-oiled machine in Memphis. That Memphis squad knows each other inside out and plays together as a unit with experience together.

 

It was too much Ja Morant for the Timberwolves tonight as he was able to do anything and everything he wanted. This season the Timberwolves have held Morant in check somewhat but tonight it just got out of hand. Ja finished with 32 points, 9 assists, and 9 rebounds and was able to get in there for 3 steals as well. It was a game where he was able to control the pace and tempo of the game on his own. When Ja Morant gets to play comfortably and gets a lot of space to operate it’s tough for any defense. Minnesota wasn’t putting multiple bodies on Morant and it gave him a chance to set the offense up or catch the Timberwolves while they weren’t set. Memphis shot 58% from the field and when you’re that hot it’s going to be a long night for any defense.

 

 

 

 

The Timberwolves are going to throw this game out as the Grizzlies beat them in every category tonight (REBS, FT, AST, STL, BLK, BENCH PTS, POINTS IN PAINT, ETC). This is one of the reasons why it’s good to get 82 games so if you have one like this you can forget and move on. The Timberwolves will be looking to bounce back on Monday as they take on the new look Dallas Mavericks with Luka & Kyrie.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

 

Feb 11, 2023 No Comments
3 Team Trade Sends D’Angelo Russell To The Lakers & Mike Conley Jr To The Minnesota Timberwolves

3 Team Trade Sends D’Angelo Russell To The Lakers & Mike Conley Jr To The Minnesota Timberwolves

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by | Feb 9, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

 

 

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz were preparing to play their game yesterday as news started brewing about a potential trade in the works. The Los Angeles Lakers were trying to get their hands on D’Angelo Russell and the Timberwolves were rumored to get Mike Conley Jr. Both teams played each other but Russell & Conley Jr were ruled out as the trade chatter continued to go up until the late afternoon. The Lakers have been rumored to be trying to get rid of Russell Westbrook and they did just that as news broke out that the trade was indeed happening.

 

 

Now that the trade is finalized it’s time to talk about how this impacts all three teams involved in this trade moving forward. We will start off with the Lakers who got a great addition to the team with D’Angelo Russell who’s still got a lot to give to the team. It was just clear that he wasn’t going to get that extension money that he wanted from the Timberwolves as they had to move on. On the season D’Angelo Russell has averaged 17.9 ppg and 6.2 ast per game he will be a great help to that Lakers roster. The Lakers have acquired Russell to help with their scoring issues outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russell’s only 26 years old and he has a lot to offer this Lakers team he’s already familiar with LA as he was drafted there back when Magic was in charge.

 

The Lakers get a scorer and someone that can get the ball to LeBron and Davis but also can go down the court and get a bucket when it’s much needed. Look for Russell to get more opportunities playing alongside both of them as he will have plenty of chances to score with the number of double teams they get per game. DLo was great for the Timberwolves but they chose to move on and this could be one of the missing pieces to the Lakers going far in the playoffs as Russell has a chance to showcase why he’s still an elite talent on a championship-caliber team.

 

The Minnesota Timberwolves were able to get Mike Conley Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker with 3 second-round picks in the trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to LA. This honestly is a perfect trade for the Timberwolves because you get a Mike Conley Jr. who’s seasoned but has the court IQ that comes with winning basketball. Mike Conley Jr. has been through the playoff battles and he knows exactly what it takes to lead a team in the playoffs. The Timberwolves are getting a leader in the locker room and someone that comes with a lot of winning experience that can change the culture of this team. Mike Conley Jr is averaging 10.7 ppg and 7.7 ast per game this season and he’s coming to a Timberwolves team that is eager to make some noise in the postseason. The great thing about this trade is the fact you get a player who’s already experienced with playing with Rudy Gobert and has great chemistry with him.

 

The Conley Jr. and Gobert Pick N Roll will be in full effect as Minnesota will be able to execute at a high level in the paint. Mike Conley Jr. will also get the ball in Anthony Edwards hands with space and get it to him in his sweet spots. Once Karl-Anthony Towns comes back to the lineup he will be able to get the ball where he likes it as well. Mike Conley  Jr. has made a defensive team and he knows how to get in those passing lanes so this Minnesota defense will be elite from their starting five. The Timberwolves acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker as well in the trade. Nickeil has shown some signs of growth in his young career and he gives Minnesota another shooter but also someone that can handle the rock as well. It will be interesting to see how he’s used by the organization as we see how the trade unfolds.

 

 

 

The Utah Jazz gave up Mike Conkey Jr, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt but they got Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Damion Jones in the deal. The Utah Jazz is rumored to buy out Russell Westbrook so it’s yet to be determined what happens with Westbrook as it’s unlikely he suits up in Utah. There have already been reports of the Clippers, Bulls, and Heat in the mix if Westbrook hits the market. As far as Juan and Damion both players bring some depth to this Utah team and can help when it comes to filling some voids on the defensive end and help bolster the bench.

 

The Jazz has freed up about $60M in cap space and has some young talent that they’re trying to build around moving forward and we can’t forget all the picks that they have acquired as well. This was a great trade for the Jazz who are building that team from the ground up as they look to get in the mix in the draft and offseason.

 

Overall I believe all three teams got what they wanted and that this trade will help them all right now/long run. The Lakers got a great scorer and the Timberwolves got a true leader/floor general in the mix as well. Can’t wait as both the Lakers and Timberwolves will be playing each other on March 31st in Minnesota.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)

Feb 9, 2023 No Comments
Timberwolves Take Care Of Business Against Short Handed Nuggets (128-98)

Timberwolves Take Care Of Business Against Short Handed Nuggets (128-98)

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by | Feb 5, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Minnesota Timberwolves came into this game following the loss to the Magic ready to get back into the win column. The Denver Nuggets came into this matchup resting 4 of their starters as they just played last night. The Nuggets didn’t have Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray in the lineup for the game against Minnesota. The Timberwolves did get some good news as they were able to get Jordan McClaughlin back in the lineup after missing a ton of games. The only piece to the Timberwolves puzzle that needs to be added back into the miss is Karl Anthony Towns.

This was one of those games where you knew the opponent was playing without stars and you didn’t want to play down to their level. The Timberwolves did a great job of putting the Nuggets away early in this one as they had them trailing the whole game. D’Angelo Russell came out and set the tone in the 1st quarter with 14 points and that pretty much got things rolling for Minnesota. The Nuggets did have Michael Porter Jr as their primary scorer as he was the only true Nugget that can create his own shot. Porter Jr finished the game with 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. The Timberwolves were scoring with ease and it didn’t matter who was on them tonight it felt like it was going in. Russell, Edwards, and Gobert finished the game with a combined 54 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists as a unit. This trio has been special as of late and they made it tough on the Nuggets tonight from the opening tip-off.

 

This team has shown a lot of growth and maturity throughout the season as they can beat you inside and outside. The Nuggets had no answer for Rudy Gobert in the paint tonight and he was able to make them pay. DeAndre Jordan has mileage on his legs and doesn’t have the same lift as the Clippers version to at least slow down Gobert. Anthony Edwards was more in the passing mode tonight and didn’t get his game going until the second half as he was able to get to the basket anytime he wanted. It was a tough challenge for Watson to guard Edwards and he made him pay for it. One of the bright spots in the game tonight was the fact we got the chance to see D’Angelo Russell’s playmaking ability as he was making some nasty passes getting his teammates involved. Russell finished the game with 10 assists but when his game is going like it was tonight this team is unstoppable especially when he gets into true point guard mode.

 

The Timberwolves bench has been very good and getting Jordan McClaughlin back in the mix gives Russell a chance to get more of a breather but gives another playmaker to the unit. Jordan helps set the tone for that second unit as he knows where Nowell & Reid like the ball. The bench has been solid and has been a perfect balance to the starters. If that 2nd unit can keep it up this will be epic for that 2nd half of the season. This Timberwolves team had it going tonight but look for the Nuggets to try and get some revenge on Tuesday in the Mile High City.

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Feb 5, 2023 No Comments
Orlando Defeats Minnesota (127-120) As Five Players Were Ejected After Fight

Orlando Defeats Minnesota (127-120) As Five Players Were Ejected After Fight

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by | Feb 4, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a great win against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. They were looking to add another to the win column tonight against Orlando. The Timberwolves got Rudy Gobert back in the lineup to help the Magic paint attack.

This was one of those games where the Timberwolves honestly beat themselves as they had way too many turnovers. When you give a young team a chance like the Magic had tonight it will be tough to win any game. The Magic made it tough on the Timberwolves as they had active hands in the passing lanes and could get a lot of offensive rebounds. The Magic made the Timberwolves pay with 2nd chance points tonight and they allowed the bench to get hot in this game. Cole Anthony came in off the bench and gave this Magic team a spark that was genuinely needed as he finished with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Every time you looked up Anthony was either making a tough shot or he was able to create for his teammates. Cole Anthony had a couple of nice plays throughout the game but his alley-oop finish tonight was top-of-the-line. Cole Anthony did his thing and so did Wagner as he finished with 19 points off the bench. The bench was on fire tonight as the Magic got 72 points from the bench compared to the Timberwolves’ 49 bench points. This was the Magic’s most recent well-balanced attack as they were getting it done inside and outside.

Near the end of the 3rd quarter with less than 2 minutes to go the fight came out of nowhere. All eyes were on Rudy Gobert throwing the ball under Anthony Edwards’s legs for a turnover. All of a sudden you look up and there is a huge group of players, coaches, and referees in the mix of a scuffle. The arena was stunned just as much as the media row. Austin Rivers was getting heckled by the Magic bench and he let it be known he didn’t like that. Rivers walked over to the bench and then punches were thrown. Check out the video below to see the actual fight and the postgame interview with Austin Rivers.

 

 

 

The Timberwolves were struggling all night and after the fight, they were without Austin Rivers, Taurean Prince, and Jaden McDaniels. This put a lot of responsibility for a 22-point comeback in the hands of Russell/Edwards. It was D’Angelo Russell who was the one that came out scorching as the Timberwolves were able to get it down to 6 points in the 4th. Russell was hitting some big shots as he was able to keep the Timberwolves in the game. D’Angelo Russell was clicking on all cylinders tonight as he finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. Russell was hitting some clutch shots to go back and forth with the Magic but Orlando just kept hitting clutch shots back. Anthony Edwards wasn’t playing like himself tonight as he went 5/15 from the field and finished with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Timberwolves will look to bounce back as they will face the Denver Nuggets on Sunday at home.

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Feb 4, 2023 No Comments
Anthony Edward’s 37 Point Performance Spoils Ingram’s Return (111-102)

Anthony Edward’s 37 Point Performance Spoils Ingram’s Return (111-102)

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by | Jan 25, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Timberwolves came into this game looking to get back in the win column. It was going to be a challenge as the Pelicans were getting their All-Star Brandon Ingram back in the lineup for the 1st time in 29 games. The Pelicans still don’t have Zion and the Timberwolves are still without Karl-Anthony Towns. This game lived up to the hype and the Timberwolves showed they belong in the Western Conference conversation.

This was one of those games where Anthony Edwards just took over with ease. The Pelicans put multiple defenders on Edward’s but it didn’t matter what you do when he’s that hot. The Pelicans had McCollum, Ingram, and Murphy III guarding Edwards to try and slow him down. It was obvious after his 37-point eruption that they didn’t know how to guard this man. Edwards was 4/10 from the 3-point line tonight but he’s showing that anything is possible with a great offseason. The improvements that Edwards has made throughout the season have been on full display and numerous All-Stars have stated that Anthony Edwards needs to be in the game. The Pelicans saw that at full speed as Edward was able to get to the rim and score with defenders in his face. If Anthony Edwards continues this it could be a long season for the NBA. Tonight the Pelicans tried to get other players to score instead of Anthony Edwards and that backfired. Anthony Edwards is H1M and if he can score like this on a nightly basis then he will be seeing some serious accolades. Edwards was able to clamp down on the defensive end as he was able to help hold Ingram in check with only 13 points. If Edwards adds that to his game the league will be in trouble.

Edwards did have some help as D’Angelo Russell and Rudy Gobert both combined for 36 points,15 rebounds, and 8 assists on the night. If Edwards can continue to get this production it will make things easier until KAT comes back. The Timberwolves will be playing against the Sacramento Kings as they try to slow down Fox & Mitchell.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)

Jan 25, 2023 No Comments