Timberwolves

Could the Wolves Beat the Warriors With Draymond Green?

Photo Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Timberwolves will find themselves in the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season and the second time in 18 years. They’re not only headed the playoffs, but the Wolves are considered a dark horse to make a postseason run.

With a handful of games remaining in the regular season, Minnesota improved to 41-30 overall with a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, sitting firmly in the seventh seed in the conference with a chance to steal the sixth seed. If the Wolves finish the year in the seventh spot, they will participate in the play-in tournament. There 7-10 seeds play for a chance to play either the 1- or 2-seed in the first round. If they can get the 6-seed, they would jump into the full postseason field.

But Minnesota is likely to end up with the 7-seed and could face the Golden State Warriors if they get out of the play-in tournament. Golden State is neck-and-neck with the Memphis Grizzlies for the second and third seeds.

The Warriors are usually considered contenders, but injuries to a few key players have recently set them back a bit. This year, they have returned to dominance. However, injuries have once again been a concern throughout the season. Earlier this year, Klay Thompson returned to the lineup, reuniting the dynamic duo of him and Steph Curry. However, now Curry is reportedly sidelined indefinitely with an ankle injury. And recently, Golden State got the third piece of their Big Three back. Draymond Green returned to the rotation to reunite the trio for the first time in over 1,000 days.

If the Warriors are healthy come playoff time, they would be a tough first-round matchup for Minnesota.

Draymond Green Factor

This week, Green returned to the floor for Golden State for the first time since early January. He battled back from a calf and back injury that sidelined him for 29 games in the heart of the season.

Green hasn’t put up gaudy numbers throughout his career (8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.4 steals). In 35 games this season, he is averaging 7.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists. But it’s what Green does when he’s on the floor, and the glue-like presence he brings to his team — his vocal, demanding, and visible mannerisms — make him one of the more valuable players on the Warriors. This year will be no different, and Green’s return has Golden State prepping for a deep postseason run.

A team that was once an annual favorite to reach if not claim the NBA Championship, the Warriors have their eyes laser-focused on that once again this season. Green recently said Golden State isn’t worried about its seed in the playoffs because they are “going to win a championship” either way.

As long as Curry can get healthy before the playoffs, Golden State may be the team to come out of the West.

Can The Wolves Beat the Warriors With Green Back?

If Minnesota claims the seventh seed, they will likely face the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament. If the Wolves win that contest, they would face the No. 2 seed in first round of the playoffs. And if Golden State edges Memphis for the second seed, it would make for an exciting battle between the Wolves and Warriors.

Minnesota and Golden State faced each other four times during the regular season, with the two teams splitting season series 2-2. The home team won all four contests. The only game that Green played against the Wolves was the first matchup on Nov. 10 in San Francisco, a game that the Warriors won 123-110.

In that lone game against Minnesota, Green finished with an average stat line of even points, six assists and seven rebounds. However, he made a difference defensively as we often see with the veteran. Going up against Green, the Wolves post group of Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Jarred Vanderbilt combined for 37 points on 36.1 percent shooting. In three games without Green on the other side of the floor, both Wolves wins, that same quartet averaged 56.7 points per game while shooting 59.2 percent from the floor.

It’s clear that Green makes a big difference on both ends of the floor for the Warriors, and that’s not just the case against the Wolves. He has glue-guy characteristics, a high-energy personality, and lock-down defense, among other traits. Therefore, Green could be just what Golden State needs heading into the postseason to try and make a run at a title.

Green’s inclusion back into the lineup would be a tough matchup for any team, and that would be true for Minnesota as well. The Warriors were already going to be a tough opponent in a series. However, Golden State might be even more difficult to send home in the postseason with another one of their veteran leaders back on the floor.

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