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

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

Featured

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

Featured

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)

Featured

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
Jalen Green’s Career High 42 Points Helps Rockets Defeat Minnesota (119-114)

Jalen Green’s Career High 42 Points Helps Rockets Defeat Minnesota (119-114)

Featured

by | Jan 23, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

All the talk the last couple of days has been about the 44-point performance from Anthony Edwards. Well, Jalen Green had a couple of days to sit on that before he could counter back in Houston. The Timberwolves were looking to make it a back-to-back victory against Houston but fell short.

 

Jalen Green came out aggressive in this game and from the tipoff, you knew he would make an impact. The thing about that is the fact we didn’t know he was going to go off the way he did. Tonight Green was able to get his shot going and he shot 50% from the 3-point line. When Jalen attacked he made the best play for his team and it didn’t matter who was guarding him tonight from the Timberwolves. It didn’t help the TWolves that they got out-rebounded, out-assisted, and had costly turnovers. Jalen Green was a huge reason that the Rockets won the game but it wasn’t done without his big man Sengun.

 

This man Sengun has been having a great second season in the NBA and tonight he showed why he’s one of the best big men in the league. Sengun had 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists in this game and was able to go toe to toe with Rudy Gobert. Now he’s not on that level yet but he made sure that he gained some respect from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Rockets had 6 players in double figures and the Timberwolves weren’t able to get the job done on the defensive end. It came down to late-game execution and the Rockets were able to do that and more.

The Timberwolves were in a back-and-forth battle in this game against the Rockets. D’Angelo Russell was able to keep the TWolves in this game especially when they got down by 12 points. It seems like every time the chips are stacked against Russell he shows up. Russell finished with 30 points and 7 assists tonight as he was the guy that held it down while the rest of the players got into this game. DLo was making Jalen Green and Eric Gordon look silly off the dribble. Russell had it going on and then that got contagious as Anthony Edwards was able to finish the game with 31 points.

 

Anthony Edwards was able to get to the basket and he was able to knock down 6/10 three-pointers tonight. Rudy Gobert made his return to the lineup and made his presence felt as he came back with a big double-double. Gobert had 15 points and 16 rebounds as he was able to handle the paint by himself. Overall the Timberwolves made a couple of mistakes in that 4th quarter that messed them up in this game.

 

The Timberwolves will be looking to bounce back as they play the Pelicans on Wednesday.

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)

Jan 23, 2023 No Comments
Anthony Edwards 44 Point Performance Propels Minnesota To Victory (113-104)

Anthony Edwards 44 Point Performance Propels Minnesota To Victory (113-104)

Featured

by | Jan 22, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a great win against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. They would look to keep the winning going as they took on the Houston Rockets tonight. The Timberwolves were again without Rudy Gobert & Karl Anthony Towns. We did get an update on KAT as Coach Finch said “Karl has no timetable for a return right now”. Minnesota was going to have to depend on Anthony Edwards to come through for them and he answered the challenge.

The Timberwolves were locked in from the beginning of the game to the end. This was one of those trap games for the Timberwolves as they weren’t ready for the competitiveness from the Rockets. The Rockets were able to get a huge advantage in the paint as they were able to beat the Timberwolves on the boards. One of the people that really made it tough on Minnesota was Alperen Sengun. On the night Sengun made it tough on the Timberwolves bigs getting them in foul trouble with his aggressive playing style. Sengun finished the game with 19 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists as he was the bright spot for the Rockets tonight. Now Sengun had an amazing night with his play and stats but he was the victim of two poster dunks from Anthony Edwards. The first dunk on Sengun was the turning point of this game and that was the start of the Rockets loss.

 

 

 

Anthony Edwards poster dunk started an 11-0 run for the Timberwolves and it gave them a jolt. This was exactly what the Timberwolves needed and it was what the fans have been waiting to see from Edwards. Anthony Edwards has become a great two-way player and he’s been able to have his defense create his offense. On a nightly basis, you can see that Edwards is taking the challenge of guarding the other team’s best player down the stretch. Tonight Anthony took the challenge of guarding Jalen Green as he was able to make it tough on him all night for only 10 points. Anthony took over the game in the 2nd half as it seemed as though anything he put up was going in at one point. Anthony Edwards finished with 44 points tonight and he was able to get to his spots with ease. When Edwards has the step back 3 pointer going and his euro step game it will be a long night for any team.

 

Nathan Knight was the player that stepped up and was able to slow down Sengun a little bit in the paint. Nathan had his season-high 19 points. Knight was able to pull Sengun away from the paint and he even hit a couple of 3-pointers as well. Nathan was playing bully ball and he was able to make the best of his looks with the pick and roll. D’Angelo Russell has always been able to create his own shot and he did just that tonight with his 23 points. Russell has been one of the most consistent players on this team and he was able to take advantage of Eric Gordon playing defense against him.

 

The Rockets and Timberwolves will be playing again on Monday in Houston as the Rockets try to get revenge for tonight’s loss.

Jan 22, 2023 No Comments
Russell’s 16 Point 4th Quarter Helps Minnesota Beat Toronto (128-126)

Russell’s 16 Point 4th Quarter Helps Minnesota Beat Toronto (128-126)

Featured

by | Jan 19, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Timberwolves are coming into this game against the Toronto Raptors fresh off a back-to-back in Denver. Minnesota didn’t get the win on the road but was looking to get back into the winning column tonight. The Timberwolves were without Rudy Gobert again as he sat with (Groin Soreness).

 

The Raptors came out hot in this game as the Timberwolves didn’t know what hit them. Scottie Barnes and Fred VanVleet were having their way early in this one. Barnes was able to get Naz Reid in a little foul trouble which opened things up for the Raptors to attack the paint with ease. Barnes and Siakam have the length with ball handling skills that just makes them tough guards. The Raptors had it all going their way as they shot 50% from the field and 3-point land in the game. Also, the Raptors had all five of their starters in double figures led by Scottie Barnes. Tonight was one of those games where Barnes was able to flourish and show exactly why he’s one of the best upcoming talents in the NBA as he finished with 29 points. The Raptors had it all going but then the Timberwolves came storming back after being down by 18 points at home.

 

The Timberwolves player that set the tone in the second half of the game was D’Angelo Russell. It seemed as though every two seconds in the arena I heard Jay-Z’s “D’Angeloooooo” because Russell was just making shot after shot. Russell took over that 4th quarter with 16 points showing that he can get it done when the lights shine the brightest. DLo is one of the only players on this team that can create his own space/shot while still trying to make the right basketball play for his teammates. Tonight it was all about D’Angelo Russell making the best of his moment. Russell went 4/4 from the 3-point line and he couldn’t miss in the 4th quarter at all. When Russell gets it going like that anything is possible. Russell was able to start that comeback off on his own but he was able to bring Anthony Edwards along with him. Edwards was able to make some tough baskets down the stretch of the game as he was able to finish with 23 points on the night. It’s cool seeing Edwards put up the points but it was the job he did on the defensive end on Siakam that saved this game. There were multiple possessions where Anthony was picking up the best player and tonight showed that true growth we have all been waiting to see as he emerges into that two-way player.  The Timberwolves only had 5 players in double figures but when it was all set and done D’Angelo Russell held it down for the team tonight offensively.

 

The Timberwolves will be hosting the Houston Rockets on Saturday as they look to build upon this new winning streak now.

Jan 19, 2023 No Comments