Timberwolves

The Wolves Aren't Broken, So Gupta Didn't Fix Them

Photo Credit: Sergio Estrada (USA TODAY Sports)

The Minnesota Timberwolves are like an old car sitting in our garage for years. It has had trouble turning over and occasionally backfires. It was out of alignment the last time you drove it, and the back wheel seemed a little shaky. Was it street legal? Well, it seemed safe if you avoided the freeway.

But it’s hard not to love the old vehicle. It brings back memories.

There was a time when Kevin Garnett packed the Target Center, Flip Saunders patrolled the sidelines, and the Wolves were perennially in the playoffs. A six-game winning streak wasn’t an urban myth. The general manager didn’t talk about manna from heaven; the coach didn’t yell about ice.

Sachin Gupta and Chris Finch may not have turned the Wolves into a bona fide contender. But they’ve created a winning atmosphere. That’s no small feat considering how Gersson Rosas ran things and that Tom Thibodeau was recently cashing a Wolves paycheck. These aren’t the KG-Sam CassellLatrell Sprewell Timberwolves. But they’re a likable team that vibes. And they’re winning.

“We all genuinely like each other,” Jaylen Nowell said recently. “And we’re really close. We like to see each other succeed. That right there is one of the hardest things to find in teams.”

“This team really likes each other,” echoed Finch. “They really root for each other. They’re fun to be around.”

Has Gupta restored the old car to its former glory? Hardly. But it no longer leaks oil and looks better after a wash. It won’t spontaneously combust if driven faster than 70 mph on I-35.

“There’s a lot of good vibes and good things going on,” said Gupta. “Any change would maybe put some of that at risk.”

The Wolves are imperfect. D’Angelo Russell got a little overzealous the other day when he called out the “quiet-ass fans” at the Target Center. He’s right about this team being special but doesn’t fully understand Minnesota sports fans’ baggage.

He’s not alone.

Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr complained when a subdued US Bank Stadium crowd greeted the Purple for their Dec. 26 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. Twins pitchers Jake Odorizzi and Taylor Rogers wanted the fans to stand and be rowdier when they had two strikes on opposing batters in the 2019 playoffs. We all get it, the Vikings feed off the energy in the building, and batters get distracted by crowd noise. But to be fair, the Rams beat the Vikings, virtually ending their playoff hopes. And the New York Yankees swept the Twins (again) in 2019.

It’s going to take more than a .500 record to get people to buy in on the Wolves fully. Sure, they had a chance to win six straight games for the first time since 2004. But they just lost to the Sacramento Kings. And 2004 was a long time ago.

But Russell is correct. This team is special. Anthony Edwards walks on water, and Karl-Anthony Towns is the prototypical modern big-man. Russell has embraced passing as an art and has a bit of a clutch gene. Patrick Beverley motivates, Jarred Vanderbilt hustles, and there’s quality depth. Nowell, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid offer something off the bench. Everyone has something to offer.

“One of the biggest moments in our season was, 10-plus games in, having a team meeting and just clarifying what everyone’s role is so everyone knows what their role is,” Towns said recently, “you’re our shooter, you’re our defender, you’re our energy guy.”

Could the Wolves use a rim protector? Another 3-and-D guy? Of course.

“There could have been opportunities where we felt like it was enough of an upgrade that it’s worth some risk in that change and potentially upsetting what might be going on there,” admitted Gupta. “But on the margin, it’s not worth it.”

The Wolves have a positive culture now. It’s something that was missing with Jimmy Butler and Thibs, and we only saw flashes of it with Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love. They’re laying a foundation, and they can build on it in the offseason. For right now, let’s watch them step on the gas and see how far that old car can go.

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Photo Credit: Sergio Estrada (USA TODAY Sports)

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