Timberwolves vs. Nuggets: 5 things you can count on
It wasn't pretty, but the Minnesota Timberwolves have made it to the playoffs.
Friday night's win over the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in 20 years and the Timberwolves' reward is a matchup with the top-seeded Denver Nuggets.
Although the Timberwolves figure to be heavy underdogs, it should be a competitive series. Playoff basketball is always unpredictable, but here are five things you can count on.
Rudy Gobert's opportunity to prove his worth
The Timberwolves have been defined this season by last summer's trade to acquire Rudy Gobert. The deal – which sent five first-round picks and five players including Walker Kessler to the Utah Jazz – has been an albatross to the Timberwolves' playoff chances but the Timberwolves got Gobert to add a physical presence in the paint and Gobert will have an opportunity to redeem himself against Nikola Jokic.
The two-time MVP is having another stellar campaign averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game but he's been even better against the Timberwolves.
In three games against Minnesota this season, Jokic averaged 25 points, 12 rebounds and 12.7 assists. While Karl-Anthony Towns didn't play in those games, Gobert played in all three, averaging just 8.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and four blocks.
Towns's presence could open up things for Gobert offensively, but the Timberwolves didn't trade for Gobert to produce like Jokic. If Gobert can't slow down the Nuggets' star in the paint, Minnesota could be bullied in the same fashion they were in last year's playoff loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Timberwolves missing Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels
The Timberwolves haven't been able to escape the injury bug this season and as they have for most of the season, Minnesota will head into this series shorthanded.
Naz Reid broke his wrist on Mar. 30 against the Phoenix Suns and will be out for the next month as he continues to recover. His absence has been a drain on the Timberwolves' bench as he was averaging 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds this season before going down, but it might not be the Timberwolves' biggest loss in this series.
That's bevcause Jaden McDaniels will miss this series due to a broken hand suffered when he accidentally punched a concrete wall during the season finale against the Pelicans. McDaniels is the Timberwolves' top perimeter defender, but was also starting to emerge offensively, shooting 51.7 percent from the floor and averaging a career-high 12.1 points per game.
With the Nuggets at full strength after missing Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. last season, Denver has enough weapons to take advantage of the Timberwolves' injury woes.
Mike Conley making an impact
While the Gobert trade dominates the headlines, Tim Connelly might not get enough credit for the other trade that shaped the Timberwolves this season.
Mike Conley Jr. was acquired in the three-team deal that sent D'Angelo Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline and has been a stabilizing presence for the Timberwolves' offense averaging 14 points and five assists in 24 games since the trade.
While Conley has been with the Wolves for roughly one-quarter of their season, he never played the Nuggets. Minnesota had ample success without Conley, splitting the four meetings with Denver and actually out-scored the Nuggets by two points when Jokic and Murray were on the court together.
Conley's presence also helped the Timberwolves hold a balanced attack with seven players in double-figures in Friday's win over the Thunder. If the Wolves can put up enough offense, they can at least try to make the Nuggets keep pace, which could be their best chance of winning the series.
Anthony Edwards' next act in the playoffs
Throughout the season Anthony Edwards repeatedly said his goal was to make it to the playoffs. Now that he's arrived, Edwards will have the chance to build off a strong playoff series against Memphis a year ago.
Edwards scored 36 points in his first career playoff game and continued to light it up averaging 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 45.5% from the floor and 40.4% on 3-pointers over the six-game series.
While Edwards comes into the series banged up, he's taken pride in playing through pain this year and will look to carry the Wolves into their matchup with the Nuggets.
Big questions about Minnesota's resiliency
Even as the Timberwolves enter the playoffs, it's difficult to forget how different this team is from last year's team.
One year ago, the Timberwolves were a defiant group, celebrating a win in the play-in tournament like they had won the NBA championship. While they were mocked nationally, they didn't show fear in any situation – even if their own confidence was their downfall.
Friday's win over the Thunder was met with some excitement but also a tempered sense of enthusiasm because the Timberwolves weren't supposed to be in this position. The Gobert trade was supposed to make them one of the top contenders in the Western Conference, but instead, they'll be fighting an uphill battle against one of the NBA's best teams.
The Nuggets lost 11 of their final 17 games to close the season but Jokic rested in five of those games as Denver had the top seed in the West wrapped up. Denver's roster is filled with playmakers and the Timberwolves may not have the depth or composure to pull off more than one game.
