Minnesota Timberwolves fans have long desired the franchise to join the elite of the NBA. But apart from the Kevin Garnett era, they have mostly been a losing team. But by building upon the foundation of Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with the acquisition of Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves appear to have finally found the solid footing necessary for future success.
Following the team’s recent roster reconstruction, many Minnesota diehards have already begun to experience an unprecedented craving: to see the team be one of the league’s best.
The Wolves have only made the playoffs ten times throughout their 33-year existence, so it’s easy to see why many of you are excited about the upcoming season. You suffered through the days of David Kahn’s reign. You’ve endured the harsh winters when Alexey Shved was wearing the midnight blue! And guess what? You deserve to spit out nonsensical Timberwolves propaganda. Hell, I’ll even like your tweet about the Wolves going 82-0. But fair warning: With lofty expectations lies the potential for immense heartbreak.
But that’s what I’m here for. I spent hours doing in-depth analysis on how to survive being a supporter of a team with high expectations. Well, I talked to a Golden State Warriors loyalist for roughly five minutes. Still, I will be helping you avoid this unfamiliar form of suffering with a simple, easy-to-follow awareness guide. It will detail some potential setbacks fans of good basketball teams have been known to experience.
Post-Game Nausea
With the roster undergoing a reconstruction this off-season, head coach Chris Finch will have to coach a completely different brand of basketball. After moving away from Ryan Saunders’ drop-scheme defense to a more chaotic switch approach, Finch will likely need to reimplement the drop to better assist Gobert. Offensively, Towns has never played with another big of Gobert’s caliber, and he will likely alter his game to some degree to fit alongside the French 7-footer.
But Brooks, what does any of that have to do with me being a Wolves fan?!
Post-game nausea.
For anyone who’s been a Timberwolves fan for more than a year, you’ll know this sickening sensation. Early in the season, the Wolves are set to play a team they should make light work of. Yet somehow, they still manage to walk away as the contest’s runner-ups, leaving a sickening feeling in the stomachs of all who support The Pack. Recall Cole Anthony‘s heart-crushing buzzer beater from Jan. 2021.
The good news is that Minnesota is an entirely different team than it was on that dreadful night at the Target Center. But prepare yourselves for at least one game in the early days of the upcoming season that will likely end in a similar fashion. The Timberwolves have a new-look roster and will need time to increase the on-court chemistry before they are set to dominate much of the NBA. So grab your favorite brown paper bag and prepare for at least one evening of Wolves basketball, leaving you feeling green.
6 Months and Counting
From the first horn of the pre-season to the champagne showers following The Finals, the NBA season spans nearly eight months. With a long and grueling schedule, teams can often experience a sense of burnout just before the mid-season All-Star break. Virtually every team in the league undergoes a stretch or two where they drop a few games due to their premier player(s) being tired and banged up.
For those who enjoy betting the over/under for their favorite team, you may even want to steer clear from betting that Minnesota clears their projected 47.5 wins. I am not questioning whether or not the Wolves are talented enough to win more than 47 games because I do. It’s just that all five members of the team’s projected starting-5 missed at least eight games just last season.
Number of games missed last season:
- Karl-Anthony Towns: 8
- Anthony Edwards: 10
- Jaden McDaniels: 12
- Rudy Gobert: 16
- D’Angelo Russell: 17
The fanbase’s high expectations are justifiable for a Timberwolves team headlined by two All-NBA-caliber bigs, two of the league’s most promising young talents, and a former All-Star point guard. But there is also plenty of time for the bumps and bruises to accumulate. So please, do everyone a favor: When the team is hovering around the .500 mark for a 10-game stretch amid January, remember that the NBA season is not a sprint but rather a marathon before your obnoxious “trade DLo” tweets.
Postseason Anxiety
Unless disaster strikes, Minnesota should be more than good enough to finish as a top-6 seed out West. And that is where the anxieties of the playoffs will really start to kick in. Can Gobert stay on the floor? Will Russell struggle for an entire series again?!
When rooting for a team set to make the postseason, the sorts of questions will begin to enter the minds of all Wolves fans. But as stated earlier, this is a different team than the Memphis Grizzlies defeated in six games. Edwards has shown that he can perform under the bright lights. And Gobert’s inability to remain in playoff games was a direct cause of his former teammates’ lack of perimeter defense. So if — I mean when — the Timberwolves find themselves in the playoffs next year, and the anxiety feels overwhelming, simply sit back with an Arby’s Beef ‘N Cheddar and enjoy yourself some Timberwolves postseason basketball.
After acquiring one of the best rim protectors in league history and several valuable depth pieces, Timberwolves fans have already set the standards for next season to Gobert heights. You might even be one of those fans. I’m not trying to make everyone who reads this a pessimistic fan. Instead, it’s just a brief warning that the team will likely suffer several unpredictable difficulties, potentially hurting Minnesota’s chances at finishing atop the standings like so many of us are hoping for.
