SAN ANTONIO — Earlier than Wednesday evening’s Sport 2, Minnesota Timberwolves celebrity Anthony Edwards relayed a warning he had given to his teammates.
“The pure tendency for groups that steal the primary sport, the away crew, they get blown out in Sport 2,” Edwards mentioned of his message. “We won’t come out cool.”
In an eventual 133-95 blowout loss to the recharged San Antonio Spurs, the Timberwolves scored solely 17 first-quarter factors, 18 second-quarter factors, turned the ball over 22 occasions, fell behind 24 on the half and spiraled right into a 47-point gap, sending the Western Convention semifinals sequence again to Minneapolis tied at 1.
“We got here out cool,” Edwards mentioned. “Look what occurred. My momma used to inform me {that a} arduous head make a smooth ass. That is what occurred tonight.”
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was even harsher in his evaluation, telling his crew after the 38-point blowout that “we simply bought punked.”
“Punked is loopy,” Edwards mentioned. “However, I imply, simply take a look at the movie and see what we are able to acquire from it.”
The movie will reveal a determined and bodily Spurs crew, pressuring the Timberwolves full court docket, attacking their dribble and deploying selective double-teams on Edwards when he crossed half court docket, getting the ball out of his fingers and disrupting his rhythm.
“They was enjoying loopy, proper?” Edwards mentioned of the Spurs’ further consideration. “Watch movie, discover the holes in it. We did not make sufficient photographs to get them out of it.”
Finch mentioned he did not like how Edwards and the crew’s number of different playmakers responded to the overload scheme and amped up stress.
“Obtained to get off of it,” Finch mentioned. “Obtained to make use of it as a catalyst for ball motion, what it needs to be. I believed we dribbled to powerful spots. I believed we have been late getting off it. I believed our spacing round it wasn’t actually good.”
The Timberwolves made solely 9 of their 30 3-pointers, unable to punish the Spurs once they did generate a good look. They missed 26 of their 44 photographs within the paint, struggling to complete in opposition to Victor Wembanyama. They turned it over 22 occasions, too usually getting too unfastened with the ball in opposition to a swarm of energetic defenders.
“We bought to go someplace [with the basketball],” Finch mentioned. “We’re form of dribbling and going nowhere.”
Requested in regards to the “dribbling to nowhere” remark, Edwards mentioned: “I do not know. I bought to observe the movie. However he is the top coach. I am with no matter he says. So if that is what he mentioned, that is what we have been doing.”
This has been a typical critique of the Timberwolves’ offense from Finch throughout their roughest patches this season. A few of their finest scorers — Edwards, Julius Randle, youthful reserves reminiscent of Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr. — can are inclined to revert into extra of a stagnant isolation fashion.
“Getting the ball in unhealthy spots,” Randle mentioned after a quiet five-turnover evening. “Getting trapped in unhealthy areas. I bought to get a greater place the place I am receiving the ball.”
Beginning wing Jaden McDaniels was one of many Timberwolves’ higher performers in Sport 2, however he was once more restricted to a decrease minute complete (20) due to early foul hassle. He was additionally on the bench within the first half of Sport 1 due to three fouls within the first quarter-hour.
“You want Jaden on the ground always,” Edwards mentioned. “Him being off the court docket goes to harm us each time. We all know it. He is aware of it. The entire fitness center is aware of it. Their crew is aware of it. When he get in foul hassle, they get pleased. He know he cannot foul. We’re not going to win if he is not on the ground.”
In Sport 1, Edwards logged 25 minutes solely 9 days after a badly hyperextended left knee and bone bruise, coming in off the bench to handle his workload. In Sport 2, he completed at 24 minutes however was on observe for considerably extra earlier than sitting out the fourth quarter of a blowout loss.
So it seems Edwards — who mentioned his knee “feels good” — is able to step again into a traditional workload because the sequence shifts to Minnesota and the stress on the Timberwolves will increase.
“That is lower than me,” Edwards mentioned of a desired return to the beginning lineup. “If it is required. No matter’s required.”
The Timberwolves surprised the 62-win Spurs within the opener. San Antonio punched again powerfully in Sport 2.
“They received by 40,” Edwards mentioned. “I might have loads of perception. … I tip my hat to these guys. They got here out, they performed arduous, they have been the extra determined crew, they needed it. We’ll see the place it goes from right here.”
