Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves heard how they had no chance in their first round to beat Phoenix Suns.
Minnesota swept the suns and then sent home the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets before finally lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference final.
Then, when the first round of this season approached Los Angeles Lakers, similar comments circulated. Few people gave the Timberwolves the opportunity to strike LeBron James, Luka Doncic and friends.
Well, Minnesota still appeared for game 1 in Los Angeles – but the Lakers didn’t.
Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95.
Minnesota has scored 29 points in the last three quarters of Los Angeles. The timber wolves were very physical and the Lakers did not answer.
The game was so one -sided that Lakers Legend Magic Johnson destroyed the team on social media and also beat coach JJ Redick because of his lack of adjustments.
If a Homer like the Magic is tearing the team tearing, you know that it was an ugly performance.
Minnesota ran through the HomeCourt advantage by holding the Lakers at 39.8% of the shootout. In addition to his usual suffocating defense, Jaden McDaniels had 25 points in 11-of-13 shooting.
Naz Reid drilled six 3 points while scored 23 points from the bank. Los Angeles’s bank only combines 13 points.
Study the competition deeper and you know that this is an area for the Lakers on Tuesday evening.
If Los Angeles falls behind 0-2, it will be a hard road da Anthony Edwards for 35 or 40 points before this series closes.
Although the perception favors the Lakers, Minnesota was one of the hottest teams in the NBA on the track.
The Timberwolves were only three games over 0.500 when March began before a hot kick ended with 17: 4. Minnesota ended with 49 wins, just one less than the Lakers.
Edwards delivered his usual solid performance and Rudy Gobert rose and recovered. The acquisition outside of the season was more convenient for Julius Randle, while boys like Reid and Donte Divincenzo delivered the bank.
McDaniels is one of the best defensive players in the league, and the veteran Mike Conley, a former Stalwart, has played a complementary role in which his intelligence for the operation is much more important than its capacity.
Throw Nickeil Alexander Walker, and Minnesota is Achtschon without much waste. You don’t need greater rotation in the post -season, and the Timberwolves are ready to go to war with this group.
Preparation for game 2 is of course of great importance. The Lakers need this game before the series changes to Minneapolis.
“We know that it will be a long series,” said Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. “We are not assuming that it will be such a game in game 2. It will be a completely different game.”
Minnesota was 21 out of 42 from the 3-point range, many of the shots of diversity.
Los Angeles received 37 points from Doncic and 58 from the rest of the team. Of course, Doncic in game 1 had problems with regard to the defense, so that General Manager of Mavericks, Nico Harrison, was certain that this was unfolding after repeatedly thin comments on “Defense Wins Championships” as his justification for unloading Doncic.
James was not so spoken in game 1 and scored 19 points with only three templates. Los Angeles needs a great effort from LBJ if it will also be the series on Tuesday.
The Lakers have Austin Reaves, James and Doncic to make, but their front square is thin, since the trade of Anthony Davis to Dallas. Not enough horses in advance to achieve a legitimate championship run, their three main cores have to click every evening.
It also enables Gobert to defraud the defense without fearing that it will lead to a simple Los Angeles basket.
If you break down the duty rosters, this is an even series – despite all the chatter “Lakers have the edge”.
The teams separated the regular season series with four games, with the home team winning every time.
The Timberwolves broke into game 1, and another victory on Tuesday would set the stage for another victory in the first round.
Maybe the Lakers are the team in difficulties.
