Timberwolves

The Timberwolves Are In the Calm Before the Storm

Photo Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

On Sunday night, the Timberwolves’ season ended in apropos fashion: fiery.

Sure, starters were resting for both Minnesota and the Chicago Bulls, but that did not stop the Wolves from playing their newfound brand of aggressive and energetic basketball. Patrick Beverley found a way to get ejected from a meaningless game. He (rightfully) argued an out-of-bounds call and received a tech. After the ruling was overturned, Beverley hit a tough shot and flexed in the ref’s face. As the ref threw Bev out of the game, Bev repeatedly called him trash and then proceeded to smack another ref on the behind as he headed to the tunnel.

Beyond the antics, the Timberwolves bench kept the game interesting. What was a 23-point deficit at halftime turned into 10 points at the end of the third. The Wolves got within one before eventually losing the contest by four. The deep reserves played with heart and hustle. Nathan Knight threw down a few thunderous dunks in his last appearance for Minnesota this year as he is not playoff eligible. The team played with pride until the very end, which is a refreshing change of pace for a franchise that has been dragged for its lackadaisical efforts in the past.

Their effort was emblematic of a refreshing new brand of basketball that has been played in the Target Center this season. Fans were shouting and hollering for deep reserves Leandro Bolmaro and McKinley Wright IV as they closed out the game, players that are not exactly squarely in the public eye. The fan engagement is at a decade-plus high, which is necessary momentum as the team heads into the next phase of the season: the calm.

Monday’s rest day is the calm before the storm. Of course, the storm is an impending matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers at the Target Center on Tuesday night. It is the first play-in opportunity for both teams as they strive to make the playoffs. For the Clippers, they are trying to salvage a disappointing season that has been addled with injuries and poor performances. Paul George has been on a tear since his return from injury, and the Clips also got Norman Powell back. LA is an experienced and hungry team that had title aspirations before the season started. They will be looking to live up to those lofty expectations.

For the Timberwolves, they stare down the barrel of what is one of the most important games in franchise history. The stakes are as high as they were for the last game of the 2017 regular season when Minnesota faced off against the Denver Nuggets in the Target Center for a win-and-in playoff scenario.

If the Wolves lose on Tuesday, they will still have one more shot to get in against the winner of the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans matchup, but that is not a desirable scenario. The Pelicans have played Minnesota tough this season, and any game against a Gregg Popovich-coached team is sure to be difficult. Regardless of the outcome, the stakes are as high as they have been in quite some time.

That’s why the day of calm is so important. This has been a season of soul-searching for the young Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell have all had to look deep inside themselves to figure out their roles as leaders in the locker room and on the court. Adding Beverley certainly helped accelerate this timeline, but the leaps that the Wolves’ big three have taken as individuals have come at a critical time in the team and franchise’s development. They have all stopped trying to be people that they are not. The result has been cohesive basketball and the winningest season since that anomalous 2017 season with Jimmy Butler at the helm. It’s taken a great deal of hard work, but it could not have happened without personal growth from those three players.

Monday’s calm will see the three of them reckon with the notion that now is the time to put this entire season’s worth of manifestation to action. These Timberwolves have been saying that they are a playoff team from Day 1. They have the confidence and bravado to not only make the playoffs but to make a splash and punch with the best of them — no matter who they match up with. Don’t get it twisted, this is a good team. The Wolves led the league in points scored this season, and also led the league in 3-point makes. The offense is lethal, and if the early-season defensive prowess makes a return, this can be a truly dangerous team.

However, Minnesota needs to get to the playoffs to showcase these skills. They will need to battle their internal demons and head into Tuesday night’s showdown expecting it to be a grind. This game will not come easy for the young Wolves, but it will be a litmus test of how serious and committed they are to winning at the highest level.

If the Timberwolves are going to win against Los Angeles, their prep work on Monday will have a great deal to do with it. They cannot take the “old Wolves” route and prance into the arena expecting a win. Towns, Edwards, Russell, and the rest of the team will have to earn it the hard way. Beverley’s leadership and wisdom should be enough to articulate that to this team. However, if they have not realized these sentiments by this point in the season, all may be lost.

This team is different, though. They have greatly exceeded all expectations set for them before the season’s tip-off. It is not in the Wolves’ DNA to wilt over anymore. It’s been a season of proving everyone wrong, and that does not look to be stopped by an onslaught of doubters in the face of a tough matchup against the Clippers.

For now, it is time to enjoy the last day of peace. From here on out, it is an uphill battle until the inevitable culmination of the 2021-22 Timberwolves’ season. Let’s hope that end comes later rather than sooner — just like we all expect it to.

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