Timberwolves Defeat The LA Clippers (119-117) Now 3-0 In The Preseason

Timberwolves Defeat The LA Clippers (119-117) Now 3-0 In The Preseason

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by | Oct 10, 2022 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Minnesota Timberwolves came into this game against the LA Clippers 2-0 in the preseason. One thing that we have not seen yet in their 2 game-winning streak has been the Rudy Gobert/Karl-Anthony Towns lineup. Rudy Gobert played in game 2 against the Lakers but Towns was out. Tonight against the Clippers the Timberwolves gave Rudy Gobert a rest but Towns played tonight. The LA Clippers played with all their starters tonight as the Timberwolves played against Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.

 

It was interesting to see tonight that Karl-Anthony Towns showed no rest and didn’t look out of touch with the offense. Towns were out with an illness to start training camp and preseason but looked amazing. KAT was taking advantage of his matchup with Zubac all night whether it was inside or out. Karl-Anthony made the best of his 26 minutes against the Clippers finishing with 19 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds. Karl-Anthony was able to knock down shots and draw defenders outside the paint to give his teammates more space. We all can’t wait to see how much the Rudy Gobert/Karl-Anthony Towns combo will work against these teams. Karl-Anthony was sensational tonight he was in a zone early and was able to show leadership even when the Timberwolves got down by 18 points.

 

 

D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards both took the back seat to Towns as they let the big man get his rhythm going tonight. DLo finished with 9 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds but was able to put in some work against John Wall. Russell started the game off with a nice transition 3-pointer and then was trying to get his team involved offensively. One thing that I noticed was the fact that Russell was able to get his hands in the passing lanes defensively. You can tell he’s taking pride on both ends of the floor and that’s something that Timberwolves fans need to be excited about moving forward.

 

Anthony Edwards finished with 14 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds in 29 minutes of action. Edwards showcased his moves today as he was able to get to the rim anytime he wanted. It was impressive to see this from Anthony as he was guarded by Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in that first half. Edwards has worked on his game this offseason and he continues to show that every game. Edwards has a lethal stepback jumper and he uses that euro step to his advantage with ease. The Clippers didn’t know how to get in front of Edwards to slow him down and that’s a great sight to see for the Timberwolves fans.

 

The player of the game was definitely Naz Reid because he did everything that Coach Finch asked of him. Reid was all over the place it didn’t matter if it was from the 3-point line or a putback dunk Reid made his presence felt. Reid kept the Timberwolves in the mix when they were down by 18 points as he was able to punish the bigs on the Clippers. Reid finished with 20 points, 2 assists, and 11 rebounds tonight in LA. If Reid can give this type of production he could be in the running for 6th Man of the Year and play the role that Harrell did for the Clippers when he won it.

 

Bryn Forbes has continued to light it up off the bench and he’s extremely efficient. Tonight he came into the game and finished with 15 points on 5/8 shooting from the field. If Forbes can continue to make the best of his situation and shoot like this the Timberwolves will be just fine when the starters come out. The production from Forbes and Reid can come in clutch for the Timberwolves for a team that needs energy/buckets. Nowell had a quiet night but look for him to have a huge impact off the bench as well.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images), (Photo by Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images)

Oct 10, 2022 No Comments
Timberwolves Beat The Lakers In Rudy Gobert’s Preseason Debut (114-99)

Timberwolves Beat The Lakers In Rudy Gobert’s Preseason Debut (114-99)

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by | Oct 7, 2022 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Timberwolves came into this game against the Lakers following a victory in Miami. The difference in this game is the fact Rudy Gobert & D’Angelo Russell were going to suit up. Everyone has been waiting to see how this offense and defense would look with Gobert in it. Tonight the fans and media got that answer as soon as he touched the floor. The Timberwolves were able to run a lot of set plays and a lot of screens. Rudy Gobert was able to be dominant in the paint as he was able to alter a lot of shots from the Lakers. On the offensive end, he was able to get open and make some great post moves for strong finishes. It’s going to take a little time for the chemistry to get there as Rudy had some illegal screens but this is a marathon, not a race. Tonight Rudy finished with 5 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists. This could be a special season for Rudy and when Karl-Anthony Towns joins the lineup it will make things even easier for the big man.

 

 

D’Angelo, Anthony, and Jaden were all in mid-season form as all three combined for 34 points in limited minutes. Anthony Edwards was showing off some of the work he put in during the offseason. Edwards hit a couple of step-back jumpers and he also was able to get to the rack with ease. Edwards was playing with a confidence that rubbed off on his teammates early and he was able to get anything he wanted. Anthony Edwards was giving that work to any Lakers player they put on him tonight. It didn’t matter if it was Pippen Jr, Walker IV, or Reeves. Everyone is expecting Anthony Edwards to make that All-Star leap and this can be the season if he’s presented with the opportunity.

 

 

Russell looked really good and he was able to hit his 3-point shot tonight. D’Angelo is going to be the key to the success of the Timberwolves and he was able to make it look easy against anyone the Lakers had on him. Russell is one of those players that can get it done on both ends. Tonight he was trying to get Gobert involved as you can tell he wanted to work on their chemistry. This was a good test for Russell’s first game to get into the groove of the NBA season. Jaden McDaniels was able to show some glimpses on both ends of the floor tonight. Jaden had a move where he got the ball near the corner and dribbled into a spin-move dunk. It was impressive to see as you can tell McDaniels is playing with a lot of confidence. On the defensive end, he was getting in those passing lanes making sure he was able to at least be a part of the play in some way. Jaden will have a big year and his play tonight was encouraging for all Timberwolves to see especially in limited minutes.

 

The players that stood out to me tonight apart from the starters were Bryn Forbes and Jaylen Nowell. Both were able to come in and be aggressive against the Lakers. If they can give this type of production off the bench all season long it will make up for some of the depth that the Timberwolves lost in the Gobert trade. Tonight they combined for 20 points with Nowell having 13 of those. They showed that they can get the ball in the hoop and can get hot at any moment to help those starters in the clutch. If this trend continues the Timberwolves fans will love what they see moving forward, especially after this Lakers game.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images)

Oct 7, 2022 No Comments
Minnesota Timberwolves Media Day & Start of Training Camp

Minnesota Timberwolves Media Day & Start of Training Camp

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by | Sep 28, 2022 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The new look Minnesota Timberwolves will be extremely fun to watch this season. When the Timberwolves unloaded assets and great players for a generational talent in Rudy Gobert it shocked the NBA world. The thought of adding Rudy Gobert to the front court with Karl-Anthony Towns will be special as they bring back the San Antonio Twin Towers vibes. Rudy is known for his dominance on the defensive end and Karl-Anthony is known for being the best offensive big man in the league. They both can help each other along the way which can be scary for the whole league.

 

KAT can help Rudy with his offense and vice versa with Rudy helping KAT on the defensive end. Rudy Gobert was able to speak on his fit with the Timberwolves and he also talked about how his first practice was with Minnesota. Last year in Utah Rudy Gobert averaged 15.6 PPG, 14.7 REB, and 2.1 BLK per game. He will be bringing that to Minnesota for Coach Finch and Rudy believes that the Timberwolves can be the best defensive team in the NBA.

 

 

The Timberwolves will be moving the way that the big men lead them but with the help of D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, and Jaden McDaniels they can bring Minnesota to the promised land. Anthony Edwards is now entering his 3rd year in the NBA and the sky is the limit. Everyone’s expecting Edwards to take that next leap in the game that he showed in the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies. If the Timberwolves get that Anthony Edwards for the whole season he should be averaging at least 25 PPG easily.

 

Last season Edwards averaged 21.3 PPG and things should get easier with the bigs in the paint. Anthony Edwards has been able to showcase his improvements this offseason and his game has no flaws from the inside and out. Edwards has to let his game mature but with Coach Finch believing in him things will be effortless in Minnesota. Anthony Edwards is the future of the NBA and the Minnesota Timberwolves so look for him to be in that MVP conversation sooner than later.

 

 

D’Angelo’s in his contract year and he’s looking to go to work ASAP while trying to make this Timberwolves team better on a daily from the point guard position. It’s crazy how D’Angelo is underrated across the league when all he’s done is put up elite numbers in his whole career. People forget that DLO has gone to the All-Star Game and they also forget that he’s a walking bucket. This season look for DLO to put the Timberwolves on his back when it comes to making clutch shots and smart decisions.

 

The pick-and-roll game with Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns will be special to watch. The Timberwolves built something that can turn into a championship this offseason but it benefited Russell the most. If DLO can get the best out of his teammates then they can truly take that next step as they compete for a top seed in the NBA. Last season Russell averaged 18.1 PPG and 7.1 AST so look for those numbers to go up as he wants to put on a show for the Timberwolves fans before the offseason.

 

 

The X-Factor for the Timberwolves season will be the play of Jaden McDaniels. If Jaden can take that next step in his development in the 3/D position it can be spooky. Jaden was in the Pro-Ams this offseason showing off his offensive skills as he dropped 52 points in Seattle. If he brings that bag over to the Timberwolves it can be a huge help to this starting five that needs someone to do the dirty work on the defensive end and offensive.

 

Jaden has a lot of potentials he can bring a lot of energy to this team that will help them in tight games. One thing that Jaden talked about loving was the fact he knows that he has Rudy behind him now helping on help defense. This team can go toe to toe with any of the teams in the NBA and their frontcourt is unmatched with KAT and Rudy. This can be the season we see Jaden McDaniels take a huge leap on the defensive end and he can finally unleash on the offensive end with so many other eyes to be on his teammates.

 

 

Kyle Anderson will be a huge addition to this team as well because he’s a swiss army knife. Anything you need Kyle to do he can do whether it is passing, scoring, or rebounding. The Timberwolves were struggling in the rebounding department in the playoffs and they made sure to take care of it this offseason.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sep 28, 2022 No Comments