Latest news with #Timberwolves'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Marcus Morris Slams The Timberwolves' Defense Against SGA
Marcus Morris Slams The Timberwolves' Defense Against SGA originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Any team would struggle to play against a star like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He rightfully earned the 2024-25 regular season MVP on the back of a 68-win season as the Oklahoma City Thunder's best player. Advertisement He has a unique style on offense with his excellent control of his pace, which is a problem for most defenders. The Minnesota Timberwolves tried multiple defenders on him, but they were unable to crack the code. Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images For most of the Western Conference Finals, Gilgeous-Alexander's primary matchups were his cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVincenzo. Sometimes, Anthony Edwards would defend him, but that was less often than expected. That was criticized by people like Marcus Morris, who wanted him to step up. Most of the time, Edwards had limited defensive responsibilities because he needed to spearhead the Timberwolves' offense. Advertisement Related: Chris Finch Reacts To Anthony Edwards Embracing All The Pressure As The Star Morris Disliked Alexander-Walker Defending Gilgeous-Alexander For Morris, he did not like the Timberwolves' defensive scheme of putting Alexander-Walker on the 2024-25 MVP. He felt Alexander-Walker did not have the same oomph as other defenders like Edwards and McDaniels. "Let me say this, his cousin guarding Shai might be the worst decision I've ever seen. Why would you put his cousin on him? That doesn't make sense to me because there's not gonna be any bad blood," Morris said on The Kevin O'Connor Show. McDaniels showed potential because, in Game 1, McDaniels held Gilgeous-Alexander to 2-of-13 shooting from the field in the first half. The MVP would bounce back and lead his team to the win, but McDaniels proved he could hang with OKC's superstar guard. Advertisement That did not remain consistent throughout the series because Gilgeous-Alexander kept facing different coverages. While it was difficult to score against them, he still found ways to get his rhythm. The Timberwolves Have More Room To Grow On Defense Despite being one of the league's best defensive teams, the Thunder were above the rest. Coach Chris Finch has the tools to be a top-tier defense, he needs to maximize everyone's talent. Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert make for a strong defensive foundation. At the same time, the rest of the team can improve, especially with Julius Randle and Mike Conley Jr. Advertisement Edwards, Alexander-Walker, and DiVincenzo are all solid defenders, but if they want to compete, they must be gritty like the Thunder. It will be a challenging level to reach, but the Timberwolves can do it. After two Western Conference Final exits, the Timberwolves know they are close to the top. They need to keep pushing and improving on aspects of their team that could be elevated. Related: Rudy Gobert Gets Honest About Playing Against "Relentless" OKC Thunder Defense This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards has 10-word promise after Thunder beatdown
The post Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards has 10-word promise after Thunder beatdown appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Minnesota Timberwolves did not show up Wednesday night for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder led 26-9 after the first quarter and cruised from there to a 124-94 win, ending the series in five games. That was not a typo. The Timberwolves scored nine points in the opening 12 minutes. It was one of those nights. Advertisement For the second straight year, Anthony Edwards will take the brunt of the blame for the team's postseason failure. He is the best player on the team, and the one who has been inexplicably compared to Michael Jordan. After the loss, Edwards stepped to the podium to face the music. While answering questions, he made a bold statement. 'Nobody is going to work harder than me this summer,' Edwards said. 'I'll tell you that much.' Edwards, like the rest of his team, had a rough night in Oklahoma City. He finished with 19 points on 7-for-18 from the field. The Thunder defense, which was considered the best in the NBA this season, did a number on the Timberwolves' top scorer. Advertisement 'Ant Man' was held under 20 points in three of the five games in the series. Even worse, if you exclude the nearly 40-point Minnesota win in Game 3, Edwards was 29-for-70 from the field. He was even more dreadful from downtown, going 1-for-7 for the second straight game. Many believed this was the season for the Timberwolves' star to ascend. Statistically, the 23-year-old out of Georgia took a step backward this postseason. His scoring was down from last year, as was his assists, steals, shooting percentage and free-throw percentage. Instead, it turned out to be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who took the next step in his career. SGA won his first NBA MVP, and can add the Western Conference MVP trophy to his mantle. He dropped 34 points in the series-clinching win Wednesday night.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Timberwolves hit embarrassing Game 5 low point last seen in 2010
The post Timberwolves hit embarrassing Game 5 low point last seen in 2010 appeared first on ClutchPoints. Barring an unforeseen and historic turnaround, the Minnesota Timberwolves' season will officially be coming to an end after 24 minutes of game time following a horrific first half performance in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Timberwolves, expected to play with a sense of desperation now that their backs are against the wall, have instead rolled over, allowing a slow start to the game to snowball into something worse with each passing minute en route to a 65-32 halftime deficit. Advertisement A slow start to the game appears to be the undoing of the Timberwolves' season, as there aren't many teams that can recover from such a ghastly first-quarter performance against a team as resolute defensively as the Thunder. Minnesota scored just nine points in the first quarter, and in so doing, they became just the first team since the 2010 Dallas Mavericks to score fewer than 10 points in the first quarter of an elimination game, as per Sportsnet Stats on X (formerly Twitter). But that Mavericks team, at the very least, managed to hang around in the game despite their eight-point first quarter performance. They even took the lead at one point in the third quarter before the San Antonio Spurs pulled away. Dirk Nowitzki, the team's best player, even had a solid performance in the loss, tallying 33 points on 13-21 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards is straight up not having a good time against the Thunder's elite perimeter defense. The Timberwolves star has been struggling all night long, scoring just nine points on 3-10 shooting while being a team-worst minus-28. This is not the kind of play that Minnesota needed if they were to stave off elimination, but the possibility of extending the series looks nothing but a pipe dream at this point. Timberwolves get swallowed whole by the Thunder's elite defense Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images The Thunder have built their powerhouse identity on an elite defense that forces turnovers at a frenzied rate. They cover ground defensively like no other team in the NBA, and the Timberwolves, a team that relies on dribble penetration to create shots from beyond the arc, have played perfectly into OKC's hands, and in quite the literal sense too. In the first half of Game 5, the Timberwolves, rather embarrassingly, have turned the ball over more times than they have made field goals (14 vs. 12). It's hard to win against the Thunder when the team is that careless with the basketball, and now, the Timberwolves' championship hopes have gone up in smoke.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Timberwolves' Chris Finch makes honest admission on Anthony Edwards' struggles
The post Timberwolves' Chris Finch makes honest admission on Anthony Edwards' struggles appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Minnesota Timberwolves are headed home after a blowout 124-94 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night. For the second straight season, Chris Finch and company have been eliminated at the same stage of the playoffs and now head into a long offseason after falling short of their goal. Advertisement One of the big storylines throughout the series was the struggles of Anthony Edwards against this elite Thunder defense. That continued into Game 5, where the All-NBA selection scored just 19 points on 7-for-18 shooting and 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. After the game, Finch didn't hold back on his star player and talked about what he has to do better against a team like Oklahoma City. 'Obviously he's got to learn to play against that physicality and that type of holding all the time,' Finch said. 'I think they made it really hard for him. I thought for a lot of the series he did make the right play. We preach that to him all the time. We need him to be aggressive for sure. He's gotta find some easier buckets, I've gotta help him do that. I think we were never able to establish something consistent with him and that's on us as much as anybody.' Advertisement Game 5 was the third game of the series where Edwards was held under 20 points, which is a very uncharacteristic outcome for a player of his caliber. However, the Thunder have a deep group of elite defenders that they consistently threw at Edwards, making his life very difficult from start to finish in this series. In part because of those struggles, the Timberwolves were never able to be competitive in this matchup away from home. Games 1, 2 and 5 in Oklahoma City were all blowouts, and the closeout game on Wednesday night was not competitive from start to finish. Edwards is still young and ascending, but this is now two consecutive Western Conference Finals series where he has failed to meet his lofty expectations. That will certainly serve as a point of motivation for him heading into next season.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Julius Randle Says It Was Exhausting To Play In New York: "You're Living And Dying With Every Single Shot"
Julius Randle's departure from the New York Knicks marked more than just a trade; it was a release. After six emotionally taxing years in Madison Square Garden, Randle admitted what many had long suspected: the grind of playing under the New York spotlight was mentally and emotionally draining. "It ain't fun, it ain't fun. You can't really focus on the game, you're focused on everything else other than the game itself. You're living and dying with every single shot, every single turnover, every single loss. It's not a fun way to play. It's exhausting.' Advertisement The pressure cooker that is New York City basketball became an overwhelming environment for Randle, who arrived in 2019 after the Knicks struck out on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. For years, Randle became the face of a franchise constantly under scrutiny, serving as both hero and scapegoat depending on the night. Every missed shot or slumped shoulder became fodder for media breakdowns and fan backlash. Despite being a three-time All-Star during his Knicks tenure, Randle's every move was dissected. It didn't help that his playoff performances, particularly during the 2021 and 2023 postseason runs, were less than stellar, reinforcing a narrative that he couldn't deliver when it mattered most. That stigma has been shattered in Minnesota. Advertisement Now a key cog in the Timberwolves' Western Conference Finals run, Randle is playing his most balanced basketball, physically and emotionally. He's averaging 21.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in the postseason on nearly 50% shooting, anchoring Minnesota alongside Anthony Edwards. More importantly, he's playing with a sense of liberation that was rarely visible in New York. It's a remarkable turnaround for a player once criticized for being too emotionally reactive. In Minnesota, surrounded by a more balanced locker room and a system that embraces his strengths, Randle has found peace and productivity. He's leaned into a leadership role, mentoring younger teammates, staying vocal even while injured, and committing to the gritty, team-first basketball that defines the Wolves' identity. Advertisement Even former rivals are taking note. Draymond Green, whose intense second-round battle with Randle helped define the Wolves-Warriors series, openly stated that Randle won the matchup. Randle also outmuscled LeBron James and the Lakers in the first round, showcasing the physical dominance he always had, but now with emotional composure to match. For Randle, the shift wasn't just physical. It was spiritual. He may not be in the media capital anymore, but Julius Randle has never looked more at home. Related: Julius Randle Addresses Struggles Following Game 4 Of Timberwolves' WCF Series Against Thunder
