The New Look Timberwolves Beat The OKC Thunder (115-108)

The New Look Timberwolves Beat The OKC Thunder (115-108)

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The Minnesota Timberwolves were coming into this season with a lot of expectation and hype. Tonight they started the quest of competing for an NBA Championship against the Thunder. Both teams have new pieces but are still very familiar with each other because of the conference.

 

The Timberwolves came out in this game hitting on all cylinders as it seemed that OKC couldn’t contain Gobert/Towns. Both of the big men for the Timberwolves came into tonight’s game with a chip on their shoulders as they wanted to prove that this can work. It was a thing of beauty as Karl-Anthony Towns was able to throw Rudy Gobert a couple of alley-oop passes for the throw-downs. OKC had no answer for the bigs of Minnesota in the paint early in this one. It wasn’t until the second half when OKC came out with some fire and it was led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Shai put the Thunder on his back and was able to create offense for himself and his teammates.

 

OKC made that adjustment as they got into some switches that had bigs on SGA/Giddey and they were going to work. Josh Giddey has grown in a short span of time and his IQ is on the level of a 10-year vet. Some of the plays that Giddey made tonight will go a long way to the journey OKC is on for the year. Josh Giddey finished with 14 points, 4 assists, and 11 rebounds tonight. On the night Shai finished with 32 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds. It was a complete game from SGA but the Wolves had the last say in this one. The future is looking bright in OKC when they get everything together as a unit.

 

 

The Timberwolves were able to counter the adjustments that OKC made and made them pay. Rudy Gobert was all over the paint in that second half and was able to make things tough on the OKC bigs. Gobert scored 23 points and made it look extremely easy whether it was a putback or getting his own offense. Gobert was able to surpass Al Jefferson for most rebounds in a Timberwolves debut now with 16 boards. If Rudy’s playing this dominant anything is possible for this Timberwolves team. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards had a sluggish night but this is a team sport. Russell, McDaniels, and Nowell gave the Timberwolves a spark on the offensive and defensive end when it counted. All three of them combined for 52 points out of the 115 for Minnesota.

 

This Timberwolves team is deep and it will be a tough team to deal with when it’s playoff time. The depth of the Timberwolves was shown tonight but they did lose a lead to OKC and regain it to win the game. If the Timberwolves are going to be a force in the NBA they will need to show us a night where Towns, Gobert, Anthony, and Russell go off so we can see its potential and cap.

 

Next, the Minnesota Timberwolves will take on the Utah Jazz on Friday in Minnesota. See what Rudy Gobert said about playing his former team.

 

Oct 20, 2022 No Comments
Naz Reid Powers The Timberwolves To Their 4th Preseason Win (118-113)

Naz Reid Powers The Timberwolves To Their 4th Preseason Win (118-113)

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The Timberwolves were heading into their 4th game of the preseason 3-0 but would be playing without Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. The Los Angeles Lakers were playing LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook tonight. Coach Chris Finch hinted that we would possibly see the Towns/Gobert combo play together on Friday in the final preseason game.

 

Someone else had to step up to the plate without the two all-star bigs in the lineup. The person that stepped up to the plate tonight was Naz Reid. This preseason Reid has been playing outstanding and he made sure to continue that trend against the Lakers. One of the big things that Reid was able to improve on this offseason was the consistency in his jumper and that definitely showed tonight. Naz Reid was in the paint causing havoc inside the paint and outside from the 3-point line. You can tell that the team believes in his progress from the coaching staff to the players. Tonight Naz Reid finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes tonight. If this is anything that is to come Coach Finch will have nothing else to do but give Reid some significant minutes to play alongside Towns/Gobert.

 

D’Angelo Russell had his best game of the preseason tonight against his former team. Russell looked like he was in midseason form tonight as he was running the game as a true floor general. Russell was able to get his teammates involved in the passing game and even made the right decisions when it came to scoring. Tonight DLo finished with 15 points, 8 assists, and 3 rebounds. It was the fact that his playmaking ability was on full display as the Lakers guards couldn’t keep up at all. When Russell plays like this he’s a top 15 point guard easy and the Timberwolves fans should be excited about what he did against the Lakers starters.

 

 

The Timberwolves had six players in double figures tonight in a full-team effort for the win. Tonight wasn’t Anthony Edwards’s night offensively but it’s encouraging knowing that the Timberwolves still pulled it out. This was a great test for this team and they definitely passed it with flying colors. Garza and Nowell led the way in scoring tonight for the Timberwolves off the bench. Both combined for 29 points off the bench tonight in Los Angeles. One thing that this Timberwolves team has is multiple players that can get the job done in limited minutes. This Timberwolves team is deep and it will be interesting to see what Coach Chris Finch does with the final team rotation heading into the season.

 

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be playing their next game on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets at home.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Oct 13, 2022 No Comments
Timberwolves Defeat The LA Clippers (119-117) Now 3-0 In The Preseason

Timberwolves Defeat The LA Clippers (119-117) Now 3-0 In The Preseason

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The Minnesota Timberwolves came into this game against the LA Clippers 2-0 in the preseason. One thing that we have not seen yet in their 2 game-winning streak has been the Rudy Gobert/Karl-Anthony Towns lineup. Rudy Gobert played in game 2 against the Lakers but Towns was out. Tonight against the Clippers the Timberwolves gave Rudy Gobert a rest but Towns played tonight. The LA Clippers played with all their starters tonight as the Timberwolves played against Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.

 

It was interesting to see tonight that Karl-Anthony Towns showed no rest and didn’t look out of touch with the offense. Towns were out with an illness to start training camp and preseason but looked amazing. KAT was taking advantage of his matchup with Zubac all night whether it was inside or out. Karl-Anthony made the best of his 26 minutes against the Clippers finishing with 19 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds. Karl-Anthony was able to knock down shots and draw defenders outside the paint to give his teammates more space. We all can’t wait to see how much the Rudy Gobert/Karl-Anthony Towns combo will work against these teams. Karl-Anthony was sensational tonight he was in a zone early and was able to show leadership even when the Timberwolves got down by 18 points.

 

 

D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards both took the back seat to Towns as they let the big man get his rhythm going tonight. DLo finished with 9 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds but was able to put in some work against John Wall. Russell started the game off with a nice transition 3-pointer and then was trying to get his team involved offensively. One thing that I noticed was the fact that Russell was able to get his hands in the passing lanes defensively. You can tell he’s taking pride on both ends of the floor and that’s something that Timberwolves fans need to be excited about moving forward.

 

Anthony Edwards finished with 14 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds in 29 minutes of action. Edwards showcased his moves today as he was able to get to the rim anytime he wanted. It was impressive to see this from Anthony as he was guarded by Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in that first half. Edwards has worked on his game this offseason and he continues to show that every game. Edwards has a lethal stepback jumper and he uses that euro step to his advantage with ease. The Clippers didn’t know how to get in front of Edwards to slow him down and that’s a great sight to see for the Timberwolves fans.

 

The player of the game was definitely Naz Reid because he did everything that Coach Finch asked of him. Reid was all over the place it didn’t matter if it was from the 3-point line or a putback dunk Reid made his presence felt. Reid kept the Timberwolves in the mix when they were down by 18 points as he was able to punish the bigs on the Clippers. Reid finished with 20 points, 2 assists, and 11 rebounds tonight in LA. If Reid can give this type of production he could be in the running for 6th Man of the Year and play the role that Harrell did for the Clippers when he won it.

 

Bryn Forbes has continued to light it up off the bench and he’s extremely efficient. Tonight he came into the game and finished with 15 points on 5/8 shooting from the field. If Forbes can continue to make the best of his situation and shoot like this the Timberwolves will be just fine when the starters come out. The production from Forbes and Reid can come in clutch for the Timberwolves for a team that needs energy/buckets. Nowell had a quiet night but look for him to have a huge impact off the bench as well.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images), (Photo by Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images)

Oct 10, 2022 No Comments
Timberwolves Beat The Lakers In Rudy Gobert’s Preseason Debut (114-99)

Timberwolves Beat The Lakers In Rudy Gobert’s Preseason Debut (114-99)

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The Timberwolves came into this game against the Lakers following a victory in Miami. The difference in this game is the fact Rudy Gobert & D’Angelo Russell were going to suit up. Everyone has been waiting to see how this offense and defense would look with Gobert in it. Tonight the fans and media got that answer as soon as he touched the floor. The Timberwolves were able to run a lot of set plays and a lot of screens. Rudy Gobert was able to be dominant in the paint as he was able to alter a lot of shots from the Lakers. On the offensive end, he was able to get open and make some great post moves for strong finishes. It’s going to take a little time for the chemistry to get there as Rudy had some illegal screens but this is a marathon, not a race. Tonight Rudy finished with 5 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists. This could be a special season for Rudy and when Karl-Anthony Towns joins the lineup it will make things even easier for the big man.

 

 

D’Angelo, Anthony, and Jaden were all in mid-season form as all three combined for 34 points in limited minutes. Anthony Edwards was showing off some of the work he put in during the offseason. Edwards hit a couple of step-back jumpers and he also was able to get to the rack with ease. Edwards was playing with a confidence that rubbed off on his teammates early and he was able to get anything he wanted. Anthony Edwards was giving that work to any Lakers player they put on him tonight. It didn’t matter if it was Pippen Jr, Walker IV, or Reeves. Everyone is expecting Anthony Edwards to make that All-Star leap and this can be the season if he’s presented with the opportunity.

 

 

Russell looked really good and he was able to hit his 3-point shot tonight. D’Angelo is going to be the key to the success of the Timberwolves and he was able to make it look easy against anyone the Lakers had on him. Russell is one of those players that can get it done on both ends. Tonight he was trying to get Gobert involved as you can tell he wanted to work on their chemistry. This was a good test for Russell’s first game to get into the groove of the NBA season. Jaden McDaniels was able to show some glimpses on both ends of the floor tonight. Jaden had a move where he got the ball near the corner and dribbled into a spin-move dunk. It was impressive to see as you can tell McDaniels is playing with a lot of confidence. On the defensive end, he was getting in those passing lanes making sure he was able to at least be a part of the play in some way. Jaden will have a big year and his play tonight was encouraging for all Timberwolves to see especially in limited minutes.

 

The players that stood out to me tonight apart from the starters were Bryn Forbes and Jaylen Nowell. Both were able to come in and be aggressive against the Lakers. If they can give this type of production off the bench all season long it will make up for some of the depth that the Timberwolves lost in the Gobert trade. Tonight they combined for 20 points with Nowell having 13 of those. They showed that they can get the ball in the hoop and can get hot at any moment to help those starters in the clutch. If this trend continues the Timberwolves fans will love what they see moving forward, especially after this Lakers game.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images)

Oct 7, 2022 No Comments
Minnesota Timberwolves Media Day & Start of Training Camp

Minnesota Timberwolves Media Day & Start of Training Camp

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The new look Minnesota Timberwolves will be extremely fun to watch this season. When the Timberwolves unloaded assets and great players for a generational talent in Rudy Gobert it shocked the NBA world. The thought of adding Rudy Gobert to the front court with Karl-Anthony Towns will be special as they bring back the San Antonio Twin Towers vibes. Rudy is known for his dominance on the defensive end and Karl-Anthony is known for being the best offensive big man in the league. They both can help each other along the way which can be scary for the whole league.

 

KAT can help Rudy with his offense and vice versa with Rudy helping KAT on the defensive end. Rudy Gobert was able to speak on his fit with the Timberwolves and he also talked about how his first practice was with Minnesota. Last year in Utah Rudy Gobert averaged 15.6 PPG, 14.7 REB, and 2.1 BLK per game. He will be bringing that to Minnesota for Coach Finch and Rudy believes that the Timberwolves can be the best defensive team in the NBA.

 

 

The Timberwolves will be moving the way that the big men lead them but with the help of D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, and Jaden McDaniels they can bring Minnesota to the promised land. Anthony Edwards is now entering his 3rd year in the NBA and the sky is the limit. Everyone’s expecting Edwards to take that next leap in the game that he showed in the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies. If the Timberwolves get that Anthony Edwards for the whole season he should be averaging at least 25 PPG easily.

 

Last season Edwards averaged 21.3 PPG and things should get easier with the bigs in the paint. Anthony Edwards has been able to showcase his improvements this offseason and his game has no flaws from the inside and out. Edwards has to let his game mature but with Coach Finch believing in him things will be effortless in Minnesota. Anthony Edwards is the future of the NBA and the Minnesota Timberwolves so look for him to be in that MVP conversation sooner than later.

 

 

D’Angelo’s in his contract year and he’s looking to go to work ASAP while trying to make this Timberwolves team better on a daily from the point guard position. It’s crazy how D’Angelo is underrated across the league when all he’s done is put up elite numbers in his whole career. People forget that DLO has gone to the All-Star Game and they also forget that he’s a walking bucket. This season look for DLO to put the Timberwolves on his back when it comes to making clutch shots and smart decisions.

 

The pick-and-roll game with Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns will be special to watch. The Timberwolves built something that can turn into a championship this offseason but it benefited Russell the most. If DLO can get the best out of his teammates then they can truly take that next step as they compete for a top seed in the NBA. Last season Russell averaged 18.1 PPG and 7.1 AST so look for those numbers to go up as he wants to put on a show for the Timberwolves fans before the offseason.

 

 

The X-Factor for the Timberwolves season will be the play of Jaden McDaniels. If Jaden can take that next step in his development in the 3/D position it can be spooky. Jaden was in the Pro-Ams this offseason showing off his offensive skills as he dropped 52 points in Seattle. If he brings that bag over to the Timberwolves it can be a huge help to this starting five that needs someone to do the dirty work on the defensive end and offensive.

 

Jaden has a lot of potentials he can bring a lot of energy to this team that will help them in tight games. One thing that Jaden talked about loving was the fact he knows that he has Rudy behind him now helping on help defense. This team can go toe to toe with any of the teams in the NBA and their frontcourt is unmatched with KAT and Rudy. This can be the season we see Jaden McDaniels take a huge leap on the defensive end and he can finally unleash on the offensive end with so many other eyes to be on his teammates.

 

 

Kyle Anderson will be a huge addition to this team as well because he’s a swiss army knife. Anything you need Kyle to do he can do whether it is passing, scoring, or rebounding. The Timberwolves were struggling in the rebounding department in the playoffs and they made sure to take care of it this offseason.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sep 28, 2022 No Comments
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks (SneakerReporter Top 10 PEs Series)

Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks (SneakerReporter Top 10 PEs Series)

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Luka Doncic’s one of the best young talents in the NBA. Luka will be one of a select few that will be leading the NBA into the future. But for now, in the present Luka has been nothing short of phenomenal since entering the league with the Dallas Mavericks. Luka’s going to continue to be in the MVP conversation for a long time and he’s been able to carve his own lane. Luka’s not the fastest basketball player but knows how to score with the best of them.

 

Overall Luka’s basketball IQ is elite and his playmaking ability is at the top of the list. Many GMs in the NBA have said that they would build an NBA team around Luka Doncic. It won’t be long before Luka gets an MVP in the NBA because he’s a walking triple-double with extreme ease. Last season Luka averaged 28.4 PPG, 9.1 REB, and 8.7 AST in only 65 regular season games. Look out for Luka Doncic this season as he continues to bring the Mavericks to another round every year in the postseason.

 

 

Luka Doncic’s on Jordan Brand and last season he was able to rock some dope Jordan 35s & Jordan 36s on the court. At the end of the season, Jordan Brand & Luka Doncic revealed the Jordan Luka 1. This was a huge accomplishment and Luka has been able to showcase some of his own colorways during the playoffs. This season we will be able to see some more colorways in the Jordan Luka 1 but until then enjoy the PEs he rocked last season for the 2021-2022 season.

 

 

 

 

10. Air Jordan 35 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

9. Air Jordan 36 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

8. Air Jordan 36 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

7. Air Jordan 36 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

6. Air Jordan 36 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

5. Air Jordan 36 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

4. Air Jordan 36 “Mavericks” Player Exclusive â€“ Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

3. Air Jordan 36 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

2. Air Jordan 35 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

1. Air Jordan 36 “Player Exclusive” – Luka Doncic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sep 18, 2022 No Comments