The National Disrespect of the Timberwolves Continues After Nuggets Win

The Wolves just upset the Nuggets, eliminating Denver four games to two. They will now head into the second leg of the Western Conference playoff gauntlet, as they prepare to take on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. It would appear that the national media is already willing to make the same mistake they made in the first round, by completely discounting this Timberwolves team.

In the immediate aftermath of Minnesota sending the Nuggets packing, ESPN's Inside The NBA gave their initial thoughts on the upcoming Wolves-Spurs series. If Chris Finch used Denver "choosing" the Wolves to motivate his squad, he'll have plenty of ammo for the second round, based on some of these comments. Here are the predictions from Shaq, Kenny, and Charles.

Shaq: "Minnesota played with great energy tonight. But the system always plays with that energy. They have three dynamic guards. They got the perfect big man in the back. I'm still going with San Antonio. Hopefully, Anthony Edwards comes back and gets to play. But, I still got San Antonio because the system, as young as they are, they still never panic, and they still play with great poise, and they always play with great energy. So, there won't be no lapses versus the Spurs."

Kenny: "The advantage that Minnesota had against Denver, that's not an advantage against the Spurs. That perimeter defense, perimeter size, and athleticism is not an advantage against the Spurs. Gobert, as good as Jokic is, (Victor Wembanyama) poses a different threat because he really plays, it's really like a 7-foot-5 Kevin Durant. Jokic is going to use bulk and size and he's going to out-muscle you. No, (Wemby) is going to dance by you. So, it's a different feel for Rudy playing against Jokic. This is great to see that. If he'd have been the defensive player of the year, he would go from Jokic to Wembanyama and, you know, you get to really see what he is."

Charles: "Without Anthony Edwards, they got no chance. Zero without Anthony. It would be a difficult series with Anthony, but without Anthony... That's the first question before we can even try to analyze this series. Joker is a little guy compared to Rudy. Rudy is a little guy compared to Victor. All that perimeter stuff won't matter to the Spurs because they got the three best guards. Kenny said this the other night, they got the three best guards coming in a trio in the NBA. The Spurs really, they're going to be tough to beat. Listen, if Anthony, because Anthony is a star, he's a superstar, but if they don't have Anthony they need DiVincenzo. Now you got the other kid who's hurt (Ayo Dosunmu). So, (the Spurs) got probably the most perimeter players other than OKC. So, without Anthony, they ain't got no chance."

To be fair to them, it would be quite the upset for a depleted Wolves team, whose injury list keeps growing by the day, to oust a Spurs team that went 62-20 in the regular season, has the unanimous defensive player of the year — who is also an alien — and just pushed aside their first-round opponent four games to one. However, this is the same Wolves team that just went toe-to-toe with the three-time MVP and the third-seeded Nuggets, despite so many injuries.

It isn't the first time that ESPN has majorly doubted the Timberwolves. You only have to go back to the start of the first round when their so-called experts picked the Nuggets to win the series 15 to 1.

ESPN's expert predictions for the first-round series between the Wolves and Nuggets. The final tally was Nuggets 15, Wolves 1 — ESPN's expert predictions for the first-round series between the Wolves and Nuggets. | ESPN

Andre Snellings is looking pretty smart today.

Then, you look back to the previous two playoff runs by the Timberwolves. Minnesota knocked off the Suns and Nuggets en route to the Western Conference finals in 2024. They followed that up by legend-hunting in 2025, taking out the Lakers and Warriors on their way to a second straight trip to the Western Conference finals. In each of those runs, ESPN's experts overwhelmingly picked a Wolves opponent to win the series. In 2024, it was the Nuggets being picked 14 to 2, followed up in 2025 with the experts picking the Lakers 11 to 1.

The mounting injury list, with the notable inclusion of Edwards, certainly stacks the odds against Minnesota. However, these Wolves have made it a habit over the years of proving doubters wrong. Pick against them at your own risk.

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