After years (and years and years) of frustration, the Timberwolves are finally showing some teeth for the 1st time in about 20 years. When we last checked in, they were on a 6-game roll, including wins over the defending NBA champion Nuggets, the mighty Celtics and (not one but 2 wins) at the Golden State Warriors. Of course, the Wolves immediately lost at the Phoenix Suns, but that was clearly what they call a “trap” game with back-to-back road games for the Wolves against a rested homestander. Not only that but the Suns had star Devin Booker back after an extended injury absence.
The Wolves responded to the loss with 3 more wins, including over the 76ers. Now, you might say that the Wolves’ success reflected a little bit of good luck as they faced the Pelicans without Zion Williamson and the 76ers without reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid. OK, fine. The Wolves are overdue for a little luck.
But they also had the bad luck of running into the hot-shooting Sacramento Kings, who made 49% of their 3s to pull away from the Wolves 124-111 last Friday. And, of course, the Wolves were without Jaden McDaniels and are still without Jaden McDaniels after he was injured early in the Knicks game ten days ago. Then after a win over the currently hapless Memphis Grizzlies, the Wolves faced another hot-shooting team in the Oklahoma City Thunder with the amazing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who came out of nowhere last year to make the 1st all-NBA team. All the Thunder had done recently was match the Wolves’ earlier 6-game win streak, including back-to-back wins at Golden State (sounds familiar) and a win at Phoenix (no, that doesn’t ring a bell).
Well, the Thunder gave the Wolves all they could handle last night at Target Center. And as if playing without Jaden McDaniels wasn’t enough, the alpha Wolf Anthony Edwards went out in the 2nd half with a hip contusion with 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting in 28 minutes. The Wolves appeared to be on the ropes. Well, Naz Reid and Kyle Anderson were playing well off the bench, as is usually the case–Reid finished with 15 points and 7 boards in 25 minutes, Anderson with 7 points and 5 boards in 23 minutes while also playing his usually crucial and effective role in the Wolves’ “chase” defense.
But the fact is that neither of them plays Edwards’ position. So plan A was Shake Milton, who shot 1-of-2, which is not too shabby. But for whatever reason, the Wolves’ braintrust quickly shifted over to the little-used Trey Brown Jr. Since joining the Wolves in the off-season, Brown had played in 12 of the Wolves 1st 16 games but to the tune of just 11 minutes each, and he was putting up career low numbers–4.2 ppg, 2.8 reb and 0.5 assists. But in his post-game press conference, coach Chris Finch allowed that he has “loved the way Trey has been playing for us all year.” In other words, Finch continued, it didn’t matter if he played 5 minutes or 10 minutes or 20, he was always upbeat, always hustling, always ready. Well, he was ready last night, makingf 5-of-6 FG including 3-of-4 3s, including one tough contested 3 that gave the Wolves the lead for good as the shot clock ticked down to zero.
Not only did they win without Ant Edwards in the closing minutes, but Karl Towns was checked very effectively by the Thunder D, scoring just 13 points on 2-of-8 shooting. Apparently, the focus on Towns left Rudy Gobert in the clear and Rudy took advantage for 17 points (along with 16 boards). But it was the 43 points from the bench, and especially Trey Brown’s 17 that made the difference. That and another fine outing for the Wolves defense. The Okies shots a respectable 42% and 37% on 3s, but other than SGA (32 points) and Chet Holmgren (16 points-8 boards-6 assists), nobody else scored more than 10.
Now, the Wolves should continue to make hay in the foreseeable future with the Jazz at home, at Charlotte, San Antone at home, then at Memphis through next Friday night–4 teams that are 17-49 as of today. Then things get a little tougher with 7 of 11 games in the rest of December on the road, including games at N’Awleans, Dallas, Miami, Philly, Sacramento, Oklahoma City and L.A. (the Lakers). And the Wolves may take the court in at least some of these games without McDaniels and Edwards. McDaniels (ankle sprain) is expected back around mid-month if all goes well. Meanwhile, nothing has been announced regarding Ant, except that he was considered “questionable” to return to last night’s game, and did not. Speculation is all over the board and all over the Internet, of course. Some thought he might be out “a few games,” but this is of course speculation. As time goes by with no injury update from the team, the thinking is shifting toward Edwards returning in time for tomorrow’s showdown with the Jazz.
But for now the 13-4 Wolves are in 1st place in the West for the 1st time since 2003 and 2nd only to the Celtics in all of the NBA. Don’t pinch me. If I’m sleeping and this is only a dream, let me sleep.