How Suns Will, Won't Win Series vs Timberwolves
The Phoenix Suns are locked in a true toss-up matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns are set to commence Game 1 of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves - and Suns fans feel quite strongly about the squad's chances to advance in this particular matchup.
Don't discount the Wolves, though.
Minnesota has enjoyed one of, if not the best regular seasons in franchise history - they are very much built to survive and perhaps even thrive in a playoff setting as well.
Ultimately, this series will come down to three things: late game execution, taking care of the ball, and three-point shooting.
If the Suns are able to withstand the Wolves' physicality and limit turnovers, they will by logic be on track to continue winning most of the proverbial "math game" which will bode even more perfectly in a playoff setting.
The Suns also need to find ways to execute late game - perhaps even utilizing five-out lineups that could play Rudy Gobert off of the floor in crunch time.
Lastly, Phoenix needs to continue to get a consistent shot diet from behind the arc - Grayson Allen and Bradley Beal thrived on Minnesota's tendency to overplay Kevin Durant/Devin Booker over the last two matchups.
"We know that [Devin] Booker and [Kevin] Durant are going to do what they do," said Wolves assistant coach Micah Nori.
"They're going to score, they're going to do what they do. So that means we have to pay more attention to those guys such as the Grayson Allens, who led the NBA in three-point shooting, and Bradley Beal, who's averaged 25 points against us in the two games that he's played."
The Suns may very well find themselves in a precarious position if Minnesota exploits the clear matchup advantage Karl-Anthony Towns could have in the post, as well as allowing Minnesota to progress to the mean from behind the arc compared to the previous matchups.
“I see KAT being the MVP of the series if we win it," Anthony Edwards told reporters earlier this week.
"Because, like I said, they’re gonna put two and three on me, and he’s the best player on the team. So they gonna two and three on me, you leave the best player on the team 1 on 1. I think that’s something we live for,"
It's ultimately very tough to see Phoenix taking the series if Towns is actually able to tap into his physicality advantage in post situations - it will create so many advantages for a sneaky good shooting team in Minnesota.
Suns-Wolves is set to tip off at 12:30 PM Arizona time on Saturday afternoon and will be dually broadcast on ESPN/AZ Family.
