Five things to look for in the Western Conference Finals: Thunder vs. Timberwolves

 

                                             (Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images) 

This week, the Western Conference Finals begin with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder squaring off. Game one will be on Tuesday in OKC at 5:30 PM PT on ESPN/ESPN2. Below are five things to look for over the course of the series. 

#1. Who has the better series: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) or Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)? 

The top-seeded Thunder are led by guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 29.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game during the playoffs while the Timberwolves are led by guard Anthony Edwards, who is averaging 26.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game during the playoffs. The NBA is such a star driven league that series' are often decided by which star players play better. The Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Edwards matchup is going to be crucial to deciding the outcome. Both guys will need to bring their A-game for sure. 

#2. Which team will control the pace? The Thunder are 6th in the NBA in pace of play while the Timberwolves are 24th. The Thunder average 120.5 points per game which is 4th in the NBA while the Timberwolves are 13th in the NBA with 114.3 points per game. The Thunder like to get out and run it more while the Timberwolves play a slower game. If the Thunder can get out and run to their heart's desire, they should be in a good spot to win the series. If the Timberwolves are able to slow it down and play more to their pace, they'll have a real chance. Pace of play is going to be key given the contrasting styles between the two teams. 

#3. Who wins the battle in the paint? The Thunder have some big bodies inside with Chet Holmgren (15.0 points & 8.0 rebounds) and Isaiah Hartenstein (11.2 points & 10.7 rebounds) while the Timberwolves have Naz Reid (14.2 points & 6.0 rebounds) and Rudy Gobert (12.0 points & 10.9 rebounds). Whichever team wins the battle inside will give themselves an edge. It'll be fun to see how that shakes out. 

#4. How much will home court matter? The Thunder will have home court advantage and that could end up being a huge factor. Both teams have dropped only one game at home so far in the playoffs while also winning multiple games on the road. Given the fact that these teams have done so well on the road and both have dropped one game at home, one has to wonder how much of an impact home court advantage will make. It's usually a huge factor, but this could be a case where we see the road team find some success. 

#5. Will the Timberwolves' experience make a difference? The Timberwolves were in the Western Conference Finals last season and have made the playoffs four seasons in a row. The Thunder in contrast have made the playoffs two seasons in a row with this young nucleus and haven't been to the conference finals since 2015-16, back when they had a totally different team. It'll be interesting to see if the Timberwolves' experience will make a difference. On paper, they'll have an advantage in that department. But can they capitalize? That's the question. 

Prediction: I gotta roll with the Timberwolves in six games. I think that experience will make a real difference. 

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The Minnesota Timberwolves are catching fire

 

                                             (Credit: Matt Blewett/Imagn Images) 

The NBA playoffs are in full swing and one of the upsets underway is the 6th seeded Minnesota Timberwolves taking a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers. On Sunday, the Wolves won 116-113 behind 43 points, nine rebounds, and six assists from Anthony Edwards, closing the game out on a 14-6 run. The Wolves took game one in Los Angeles 117-95, lost game two in Los Angeles 94-85, and then bounced back to take game three in Minneapolis 116-104 before winning on Sunday in Minneapolis. 

A major reason for the Wolves' success this postseason is the performance of their star shooting guard Anthony Edwards, who is averaging 29.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game during the series. Edwards is only 23 years of age in his fifth NBA season, playing like a guy who has been in the league for a decade. He makes smart decisions with the ball, knows when to attack the rim, when to pass it out, etc. He's got superstar gifts and isn't solely consumed with getting buckets even though that's what he does best. 

In addition to Edwards, forward Julius Randle has been playing fantastic as well. Randle had 25 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in Sunday's win, averaging 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game for the series. Edwards has needed somebody to be a reliable number two man and Randle has been that. And then of course, other guys like Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels have done their part as well. It's been a true team effort. 

If the Wolves can close out the Lakers, don't be surprised to see them make another push to reach the Western Conference Finals like they did last year. And if they get that far, who's to say that they can't reach the NBA Finals? When you got a superstar like Anthony Edwards, you're always in contention. 

Update: The Timberwolves took the series 4-1, defeating the Lakers 103-96 in game five. Rudy Gobert had a ridiculous 27 points and 24 rebounds. 

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Saturday Slam: Minnesota Timberwolves have new life thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns returning

 

                                             (Credit: AP Photo) 

On Wednesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves got a real shot in the arm thanks to the return of their star center Karl-Anthony Towns, who put up 22 points and 4 rebounds in a 125-124 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.  It was Towns' first game back from a Grade 3 calf strain, which caused him to be out since late November. 

Towns along with Anthony Edwards (24.7 points per game) is one of the top two players on this Timberwolves team, who are currently 7th in the Western Conference with a 37-37 record. At just 1.5 games back of the 39-36 Golden State Warriors for the 6th seed and eight games left in the regular season, the Timberwolves have to feel like there's a chance to leapfrog the Warriors. Especially if they can defeat them on the road on Sunday. 

Given how important Towns is to the Timberwolves, one cannot understate the importance of his return. He's averaging 20.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game this season and really takes a lot of pressure off Edwards who does so much for them. 

At this point, the biggest focus for the Timberwolves is to make sure Towns doesn't get overworked during this stretch while also making sure they can get Edwards back as soon as possible. Edwards has missed three straight games due to an ankle injury and it really is imperative that they get him back, too. 

As far as what the final schedule looks like, after Sunday's game at Golden State, the Timberwolves will head to Sacramento and Phoenix before coming home to face the Lakers and Trailblazers. They will then hit the road to Brooklyn and San Antonio before coming home for one final game against the Pelicans. It's not a super easy schedule, but it's also not ridiculously hard, either.  

While the future is not certain, one thing that is certain is that the Timberwolves' odds of avoiding the play-in tournament and getting a top six seed have gone up by getting Towns back. If you're them, that's really all you can ask for. 

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Mock Draft Monday: Are the Minnesota Timberwolves one good draft pick away from being good?

The most notable trade the Minnesota Timberwolves made at the trade deadline was the trade they made to land D'Angelo Russell from the Golden State Warriors. By getting a ball dominant All-Star level guard to play with their franchise center Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves feel they are back in business. Or at least close to being back in business.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski, the #Warriors are trading D'Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans, and Omari Spellman to the #Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 protected first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick. Wolves’ 2021 pick is protected to No. 3 & becomes unprotected in 2022. #NBA

— NBA Lord (@nba_lord) February 7, 2020

One other piece of the puzzle for the Timberwolves is whoever they draft in the 2020 NBA draft. At the moment, they are projected to get the #5 pick, which means there is the real possibility that they could land the #1 pick in the lottery. Even if they don't get the #1 pick, they're still positioned well to add a really talented player to their team next year. I like Georgia freshman guard Anthony Edwards a lot and think he would be a great addition to this young Wolves team. You give them a talented shooting guard alongside Russell and they really could be cooking with gas.

Of course, Edwards isn't the only rookie that could fill that need for them. Washington freshman small forward Jaden McDaniels is another great option for the Wolves that should be available if they are picking 5th. He would bring athleticism out on the wing and also play well alongside Russell in the backcourt.

                                          (Credit: Frank Gunn. Canadian Press) 

The Timberwolves injected some new life into their team by getting Russell and can now look ahead to the 2020 NBA draft with some additional excitement. Over these next few months, their front office needs to do their due diligence to make sure they find the right fit for their team and prepare for the likelihood that they don't get a top three pick. Provided they do that, their future looks to be very bright.

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Mock Draft Monday: Georgia freshman Anthony Edwards looks like the real deal

                                          (Credit: Joshua L. Jones, AP)

If you haven't heard about Georgia freshman guard Anthony Edwards, it's probably time that you did. Edwards is projected to be the #1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft on NBADraft.net, averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 41.3% shooting from the field, 31.1% shooting from 3-point range, and 69.2% shooting from the foul line. Listed at 6'5", 225 pounds, Edwards has ideal size for an NBA guard, possessing tremendous athleticism to go along with it.

At the moment, the Bulldogs are 10-5 overall and 0-2 in the SEC, looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. Given how talented Edwards is, I don't see why not. When you have a guy as gifted as him on your team, you have a chance to beat anyone at the college level.

Touching more on why he's so good, Edwards is a great two way player due to his size and athleticism. He can score, rebound, and defend. Offensively, he looks pretty polished, possessing a good stroke on his jump shot. While some guys may take a little bit of time to adjust to the NBA, Edwards looks like a guy who will make an immediate impact.

While there's a lot he's good at, there are some areas Edwards needs to improve in. For starters, his rebounding numbers could be a little higher. Given his physical tools, he should be grabbing around 6.0 rebounds per game. 4.8 rebounds per game isn't bad, but he could be doing more in that department.

Also, his free throw and 3-point percentages need to improve. His percentages aren't bad for a freshman and I'm confident he'll get better, but still, he'll have to put that work in. LeBron James for example shot 75.4% from the foul line his rookie year and is shooting below 70% from the line for the second consecutive season. It's not like more years in the NBA means you'll shoot better.

As for whether or not he's worthy of the top pick, a lot of that will come down to what team has the pick and what their needs are. A team needing a point guard may choose LaMelo Ball while a team looking for a big man may opt to select James Wiseman. Regardless, Edwards is positioning himself to get drafted in the top three and quite honestly, he'll probably go number one.

What will be interesting to see is how far Edwards takes Georgia and if they are able to do some damage in March. Before Tom Crean took the head coaching job, the Georgia men's basketball program had been wandering aimlessly in the woods for quite some time. If he is able to get the Bulldogs to their first NCAA tournament win since 1996 (2002 win was vacated), that could cement his status as the top pick in the draft.

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Mock Draft Monday: Going to the Golden State Warriors offers the best of both worlds

If you head over to NBADraft.net, a site that I contribute to during the months leading up to the NBA draft, you'll notice that the Golden State Warriors are currently projected to get the top pick in 2020. Of course, one cannot predict the lottery and how that will shake out, but regardless, at the rate they're going, the 5-23 Warriors are going to end up with a really nice draft pick.

Typically, most teams picking in the top five of the NBA draft are rebuilding and a few years away at least from being serious contenders. The Warriors are an exception as they were in the NBA finals last season. They are only in tank mode due to Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry both getting injured. Come the 2020-21 season, both guys should be back to full strength and ready to gun for another championship alongside the help of a top rookie.

If you are one who is gifted enough to see themselves at the top of these mock draft boards, you have to be praying to go to the Warriors. You'll get paid top rookie money and not have to be a part of a long rebuilding process. Instead, you'll instantly get to be a part of a team that is eager to get back to the NBA finals.

As for what kind of rookie the Warriors should be targeting, they could use more help in the front court, making Memphis big man James Wiseman and Duke big man Vernon Carey logical targets. Given the presence of Thompson and Curry, it wouldn't make sense for the Warriors to go with a point guard or a wing unless they really fall in love with one. Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards might turn out to be such a wing.

As we head into 2020, it will be interesting to see how the Warriors do and if they fully embrace tanking. I wrote a blog post earlier about how they should do that and given where they are in the standings right now, it looks like they're taking my advice to heart. It kind of sucks for Warriors fans to watch their team struggle to this degree, but with Thompson and Curry set to return next year alongside a lottery pick, the future remains bright.

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