Wolves-Spurs: Keys In This Best Of 3

The Timberwolves are clearly the inferior team. They are riddled with injury, as Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu are not at full strength, with Donte DiVincenzo being out for the rest of the postseason. The best way to overcome that is by slowing down the game and making the Spurs uncomfortable.

That’s what Minnesota was able to do in Games One and Four. In the first game, they held Victor Wembanyama and company to just 102 points on 44.8% shooting and 27.8% from three. In the most recent game, San Antonio scored just 109 on 44.7% shooting overall and 37.0% from three. The Spurs’ offense halted, especially in the clutch, with the Wolves stealing it in the end.

This is similar to the Denver Nuggets vs Oklahoma City Thunder series last year. The only way Denver was able to win was by making the games ugly and keeping it close in the end while leaning on the championship pedigree to take over late. The Nuggets still ended up losing, but pushed the series to seven games by winning Game One and Game Three by a combined 11 points.

Minnesota, in this case, is what Denver was in that series last year. They are the less talented team with more playoff experience. If they can keep the games close in the clutch, let Ant-Man do what he did in Game Four and close the game out.

Another thing that the Wolves do well is getting into their opponents’ heads. Last series, it was Jaden McDaniels calling out Denver’s defense, and in Game Four of the current series, it was getting Wemby ejected. They swarmed the 7’5 phenom with a double team, and out of frustration, he elbowed Naz Reid in the head, leading to a Flagrant Two call. It’s the little things like that that can give Minnesota a slight edge while being the inferior team roster-wise.

Spurs: Ball Movement

The key for the San Antonio is simpler: play Spurs basketball. For them, that means to play equal opportunity offense and push the tempo. That was what they did well in Games Two and Three in their victories.

In the two wins, the Spurs had 55 combined assists. In the games they lost, that number was down to 41. San Antonio does not have a plethora of one-on-one players. Only one of their players was in the top 50 in the regular season for usage rate: Wembanyama, ranked 10th. No other Spur was close to that.

That’s what makes San Antonio a legit threat in the west. Any player on their roster can put the ball in the hoop when called upon. Their roster had eight players average 10+ points in the regular season. That is more than the Thunder, who are known for having depth.

Another reason why ball movement is key for San Antonio is that it is what Minnesota struggles against. The Wolves’ iso defense is one of the best in the league due to their length. Rudy Gobert and Reid are ranked fifth and eighth in defensive rating for that department, respectively.

The off-ball defense is where things are a bit inconsistent. That was one of the few things the Nuggets did well against Minnesota in round one, with Nikola Jokic initiating offense at the top of the key with players rolling to the basket. If the Spurs can avoid resorting to one-on-one basketball, this series is theirs.

End Of Wolves Spurs Rant

It’s now a best-of-three. The Spurs have stolen home court back and have two of the three remaining games in San Antonio. They are the more talented team and are expected to win.

That, however, doesn’t mean anyone should discount the Timberwolves. They are right where they want to be in terms of being the underdogs.

Who will come out on top?