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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Wednesday Windmill: The New York Knicks are a total joke

After making the decision to fire head coach David Fizdale, the New York Knicks once again confirmed that they are a total joke. At 4-20, they sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, acting like coaching and not their lame roster, is the problem. The Knicks have four players who I think are actually worth anything: RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Marcus Morris, and Julius Randle. That's it. The rest of the roster is trash and can be done away with. Even those four guys, while solid, aren't nearly enough to field a competitive team.

By firing Fizdale, the Knicks are neglecting to acknowledge what's really going on here. They keep making dumb decisions in free agency and in the draft. They don't know how to build a cohesive roster and instead throw darts at a wall, hoping something sticks. It's pathetic and an embarrassment.

What's sad is that the Knicks are such an iconic NBA franchise playing in the most iconic basketball arena in the world: Madison Square Garden. If the New Orleans Pelicans toiled in obscurity for 10+ years, nobody would give a damn. But the Knicks? They're a team a lot of people care about. Both fans of the team and the NBA as a whole. If the Knicks are competitive, even remotely competitive, there's an added buzz to the league that makes it all the more fun.

That isn't to stay the NBA should give the Knicks any extra breaks. The Knicks need to figure this out on their own and get their act together. Ultimately, this comes down to ownership. James Dolan is a clown of an owner and might as well have bubbles coming out of his fanny. He's a complete embarrassment to the league and should resign from his position. So long as he remains at the helm, the Knicks will continue to be a laughingstock. There really isn't anything more that needs to be said.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Magic Johnson's time as Lakers president was a total failure

                                         (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) 

Earlier today, news broke of Magic Johnson's abrupt decision to step down as president of the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson held a press conference announcing his decision, saying that he wasn't having fun in his role as president. He wanted to go back to being more of an ambassador for the organization and game of basketball as whole. While it was a tough decision, he said this was the right thing for him to do.



Given all that he's done for the sport and the Lakers organization, it's tough to see Magic Johnson's time as Lakers president go toes up like this. As great of a player as he was, he was a pretty horrible president. When Johnson took over as president back in 2017, the Lakers finished the season 26-56. The hope was that with him now at the helm, the organization would finally get back on the right track. Instead, they went 35-47 in the 2017-18 season and then 37-45 this season. That's not exactly the type of growth they were looking for.

During his first summer on the job, Johnson made the decision to part ways with former #2 overall pick D'Angelo Russell, who has since flourished with the Brooklyn Nets. This season, Russell averaged 21.1 points, 7.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game en route to his first All-Star Game appearance, making Johnson look like a fool for trading him.

On top of parting ways with Russell, Johnson also made the decision to allow Julius Randle to enter the waters of unrestricted free agency. During his first season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Randle has averaged 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, once again making Johnson look foolish.

While Johnson does deserve some credit for getting LeBron James, the vibe I got is that James more or less recruited himself to Los Angeles. He wanted to be a Laker for the sake of being a Laker. I don't think the presence of Johnson played much of a role there. Even if it did, it's not like things got better with James on board. Injuries did play a role, but Johnson failed to put the right type of team around James, largely due to his decisions to part ways with Russell and Randle.

The bottom line is that Johnson's time as Lakers president was a total failure. The team struggled under him and he made personnel moves that were clearly ill-advised. Hopefully for the Lakers, they'll get someone in the front office that actually knows what they're doing.

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Triple-Threat Thursday: Will Lonzo Ball save the Los Angeles Lakers?

The Los Angeles Lakers are hopeful that they finally have their franchise player for the future in rookie point guard Lonzo Ball, who they drafted #2 overall out of UCLA. At 6'6", 190 pounds, Ball draws comparisons to Jason Kidd due to his combination of size, speed, quickness, and strength. He handles the ball extremely well and is a gifted passer. On top of that, he scores really well around the rim and also knows how to shoot from deep, making him a very tricky player to defend.

While there's a lot to like about Ball and what he brings to the table, is it too early to label him as the savior of the franchise? On the one hand, the answer is obviously yes because we've seen many a talented rookie fall short of their lofty expectations. You never know what will happen in the future and given that he hasn't even played in a game, Ball is yet to prove himself on an NBA floor.

At the same time, it's hard to see Lonzo Ball not living up to expectations. Nobody is calling him the next Kobe Bryant, but to see him as a guy who produces like Deron Williams in his prime seems to be pretty reasonable. Unlike with some guys, you don't need to look up Ball's statistics and use analytics to justify the hype. He passes the eye test with flying colors and I'm a believer in the eye test being the most important test.

While Ball is obviously a fantastic piece to build around, the Lakers still have a ton of work to do in order to put him in the best position to be successful. Brook Lopez has a history of getting injured, so it's no guarantee he stays healthy. Even if he does, he's getting older and can't be counted on as a long-term piece to build around. Julius Randle, who averaged 13.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last season, looks promising, but it's still too early to label him the second coming of Karl Malone.

If the Lakers can add one more quality young piece to the mix, I think they'll really have something to get excited about. An elite point guard is practically a must in today's NBA. Assuming they have that need checked off, the Lakers are definitely on their way back to glory.

Triple-Threat Thursday is a weekly piece focusing on the NBA Draft/Rookies. 

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Daily Dunks: 10/12-10/18/15

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source) 

Here is my Daily Dunks page for Monday, October 12 through Sunday, October 18, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Nets forward Andrea Bargnani hopes to play in the team's final three preseason games (Click here for details).

#2. Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson has a new agent (Click here for details).

#3. Magic forward Aaron Gordon has participated in a full contact practice (Click here for details).

#4. The NBA rookie extension deadline has been moved to November 2 (Click here for details).

#5. The Warriors have officially purchased land for their arena in San Francisco (Click here for details).

#6. Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis has suffered a minor quad injury. He should be ok (Click here for details).

#7. Pistons' Andre Drummond and Warriors' Harrison Barnes are expected to get extensions (Click here for details).

#8. The NBA has a new ad campaign called "This is why we play" (Click here to see it).

#9. Lance Stephenson speaks out on his experience in Charlotte (Click here for details).

#10. The Mavericks may be interested in Larry Sanders  (Click here for details).

#11. Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum got ejected for a flagrant foul on Gordon Hayward (Click here for details).

#12. A Sacramento Kings documentary airing has been delayed over Kevin Johnson sexual assault allegations stemming from 1996 (Click here for details).

#13. UNLV, Kentucky, and LSU are doing a combine for NBA scouts (Click here for details).

#14. The Lakers want Julius Randle to push the ball in transition (Click here for details).

#15. The Wizards expect Nenê to come off the bench this season (Click here for details).

#16. The Rockets claimed Arsalan Kazemi off waivers from the Hawks (Click here for details).

#17. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose could be back doing basketball activity within a week (Click here for details).

#18. Wizards point guard John Wall will play assistant coach Howard Eisley $100 for every game in which he has more than 2 turnovers (Click here for details).

#19. The Warriors waived forward Tony Mitchell (Click here for details).

#20. Pelicans point guard Norris Cole is out indefinitely with a high left ankle sprain (Click here for details).

Monday's NBA preseason scores: 

Grizzlies 91 Cavaliers 81. Knicks 94 76ers 88. Raptors 112 Timberwolves 105. Heat 97 Spurs 94. Pelicans 123 Bulls 115. Trail Blazers 88 Jazz 81.

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Lamar Odom has been hospitalized due to a drug overdose (Click here for details).

#2. Kings guard Rajon Rondo said his relationship with George Karl isn't very good, but then George Karl said it's fine. It's also possible Rondo was just joking (Click here and here for details).

#3. Thunder small forward Kevin Durant is tired of talking about his foot (Click here for details).

#4. Danilo Gallinari crossed up Stephen Curry (Click here to watch).

#5. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry apologizes for all the good fortune his team had (Click here for details).

#6. Clippers point guard Chris Paul has returned from his finger injury (Click here for details).

#7. Click here for an update on the Celtics' rotation.

#8. Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard says his relationship with LaMarcus Aldridge was always fine (Click here for details).

#9. The Trail Blazers consulted Damian Lillard about their rebuilding process (Click here for details).

#10. Byron Scott hopes the Lakers shoot more three-point shots (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA preseason scores: 

Magic 95 Heat 92. Bucks 110 Cavaliers 101. Pacers 101 Pistons 97. Thunder 100 Mavericks 88. Rockets 135 Suns 129 (OT). Kings 107 Lakers 100. Nuggets 114 Warriors 103.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks 

#1. Pops Mensah-Bonsu is retiring (Click here for details).

#2. Lakers head coach Byron Scott thinks the four-point line is a good idea (Click here for details).

#3. Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha wants to move on from what happened with the NYPD (Click here for details).

#4. Click here for an update on the health of 76ers rookie Jahlil Okafor

#5. LeBron James is the betting favorite to win MVP (Click here for details).

#6. Marko Milic has retired at the age of 38 (Click here for details).

#7. The Bulls waived  guards Stefhon Hannah and Jake Anderson (Click here for details).

#8. Wizards forward Alan Anderson is out indefinitely following a procedure on his left ankle (Click here for details).

#9. The Jazz waived forward Jack Cooley and forward J.J. O'Brien (Click here for details).

#10. Warriors forward Harrison Barnes is day-to-day with a sprained right knee (Click here for details).

#11. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant is dealing with a bruised calf. It's nothing serious (Click here for details).

#12. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is questionable for opening night (Click here for details).

#13. The Warriors waived guard Ben Gordon (Click here for details).

#14. The Pelicans signed center Mirza Begic (Click here for details).

#15. Carmelo Anthony wants the Knicks coaching staff to hold him more accountable (Click here for details).

#16. The Mavericks signed point guard Tu Holloway for training camp (Click here for details).

WNBA Finals Game 5: Lynx 69 Fever 52. Lynx win series 3-2 and win the 2015 WNBA Championship.

Wednesday's NBA preseason scores: 

Hornets 113 Clippers 71. Timberwolves 89 Raptors 87. Celtics 109 Nets 105. Pistons 114 Bulls 91. Hawks 100 Spurs 86.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Kings waived guard Marshall Henderson and forward Vince Hunter (Click here for details).

#2. The Pelicans signed guard Bo McCalebb (Click here for details).

#3. Thabo Sefolosha has returned to action for the Hawks (Click here for details).

#4. The Jazz waived forward Grant Jerrett (Click here for details).

#5. The Pelicans waived guard Corey Webster (Click here for details).

#6. The Spurs have revealed some new black alternate uniforms (Click here for details).

#7. Nets guard Jarrett Jack was ejected for a flagrant foul on Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko (Click here for details).

#8. Pelicans head coach Frank Vogel is confident that Paul George will have a career year (Click here for details).

#9. The Thunder and Dion Waiters are discussing an extension (Click here for details).

#10. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose says he gets double-vision (Click here for details).

#11. Michele Roberts says the NBA Players Union will support Thabo Sefolosha if he sues the NYPD (Click here for details).

#12. Click here to see Jeremy Lin's cameo from "Fresh off the Boat."

#13. Nuggets rookie guard Emmanuel Mudiay believes watching film will help him improve a lot (Click here for details).

#14. Hawks forward Tiago Splitter says getting traded from the Spurs to the Hawks was the best option for a trade (Click here for details).

#15. The Suns waived guard Terrico White and forward Kyle Casey (Click here for details).

#16. Joel Embiid reportedly acted hostile to the 76ers' strength coach last season. 76ers head coach Brett Brown denies this report (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA preseason results: 

Pacers 107 Cavaliers 85. Warriors 123 Rockets 121.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Jazz forward Gordon Hayward is day-to-day with a lower back contusion (Click here for details).

#2. Nets center Willie Reed is out 6-8 weeks after undergoing thumb surgery (Click here for details).

#3. The Pelicans waived center Jerome Jordan (Click here for details).

#4. The Lakers have hired Tracy Murray as a shooting coach (Click here for details).

#5. The Lakers exercised their 2016-17 team option on power forward Julius Randle (Click here for details).

#6. The Warriors waived guard Juwan Staten (Click here for details).

#7. The Pelicans signed guard Nate Robinson to a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum (Click here for details).

#8. Click here for an update on the Heat's starting lineup, which now appears to be healthy.

#9. The Pelicans waived center Mirza Begic (Click here for details).

#10. The Hornets have signed small forward Damien Wilkins (Click here for details).

#11. Pelicans forward Luke Babbitt is out indefinitely with a hamstring strain (Click here for details).

#12. Click here for an update on Lamar Odom.

#13. Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard says "I'm not going to be the hero" of this team (Click here for details).

#14. The 76ers are reportedly unhappy with Joel Embiid. 76ers head coach Brett Brown denies this report (Click here for details).

#15. Mark Cuban is offering former Mavericks players free heart exams (Click here for details).

#16. Knicks head coach Derek Fisher doesn't like to think of his team as rebuilding (Click here for details).

#17. Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love will play in Sunday's preseason game (Click here for details).

#18. The Cavaliers have pulled their 5 year, $80M offer to Tristan Thompson (Click here for details).

#19. Warriors center Andrew Bogut is out indefinitely with a broken nose (Click here for details).

#20. Report: 76ers' head coach Brett Brown and team president Scott O'Neil were unhappy with GM Sam Hinke's decision to trade Michael Carter-Williams (Click here for details).

#21. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is nearing a return (Click here for details).

#22. LeBron James received an injection in his back that will cause him to miss the final two weeks of the preseason (Click here for details).

#23. 76ers executives belive Joel Embiid was sloppy with his rehab and thus led him to his 2nd foot surgery (Click here for details).

#24. NBA teams could have $1.07B in 2016 Cap Space (Click here for details).

#25. Damian Lillard hopes Terry Stotts stays as his head coach in Portland (Click here for details).

#26. The Warriors signed forward Chris Udofia (Click here for details).

#27. James Harden says he wants to retire with the Rockets (Click here for details).

#28. Heat center Hassan Whiteside has returned from his calf injury (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA preseason results: 

Wizards 127 76ers 118. Knicks 101 Celtics 95. Grizzlies 94 Thunder 78. Hawks 91 Mavericks 84. Nuggets 106 Suns 81.

Euroleague Scores from Week 1: Click here to view scores from Regular Season (Round 1) of Euroleague.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. There are no talks between Tristan Thompson and the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#2. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis feels great about his team (Click here for details).

#3. Mark Cuban likes the Mavericks' chances to be better than last season if they stay healthy (Click here for details).

#4. Craig Sager will work opening night on TNT (Click here for details).

#5. The Pistons hope Brandon Jennings will be back by Christmas (Click here for details).

#6. Jeremy Lin says he was open to a Knicks return this summer, but the Knicks weren't (Click here for details).

#7. Click here for an update on Lamar Odom

#8. Dirk Nowitzki has made his preseason debut (Click here for details).

#9. The Utah Jazz exercised their options for Trey Burke, Dante Exum, Rodney Hood, and Rudy Gobert (Click here for details).

#10. The Cavaliers waived center Chris Johnson and signed forward Jack Cooley (Click here for details).


Saturday's NBA preseason scores: 

Magic 90 Rio De Janeiro Flamengo 73. Hornets 97 Knicks 93. Kings 107 Pelicans 98. Heat 105 Rockets 100. Wizards 105 Bucks 101. Lakers 85 Warriors 70.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Derek Fisher says the Knicks are trying to win "right now" (Click here for details).

#2. Lakers forward Julius Randle says Warriors forward Draymond Green can't guard him (Click here for details).

#3. Michael Jordan says Jeremy Lin will be the Hornets' biggest acquisition of the offseason (Click here for details).

#4. Mavericks rookie Maurice Ndour is out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his left leg. This might cost him a roster spot (Click here for details).

#5. Mavericks point guard Deron Williams will miss the entire preseason and is questionable for opening night (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA preseason scores: 

Nets 92 76ers 91. Spurs 96 Pistons 92. Grizzlies 90 Timberwolves 68. Raptors 87 Cavaliers 81. Thunder 111 Nuggets 98. Heat 101 Hawks 92. Trail Blazers 116 Jazz 111 (OT).



---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for my NBA updates. Also, like my Facebook page NBA Lord Nation and follow my NBA Lord Google Plus page for NBA updates.