It was kind of funny that Ayo Dosunmu returned for Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs, and the Spurs were still favored by 10.5.
Anthony Edwards had accelerated his return from hyperextending his knee in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Timberwolves had won Game 1. Dosunmu had scored 43 against Denver in Game 4 to cover for Edwards’ absence. The Wolves had closed the series without both in Game 6.
Still, the oddsmakers expected the Spurs to whallop the Timberwolves in Game 2. And whallop them they did, suffocating them with defense and drowning them in threes. Minnesota’s 133-95 loss was the largest defeat in franchise playoff history.
The Spurs reminded Minnesota why they’re the second-biggest favorite to win the NBA Championship, while the Timberwolves remain long shots. The Wolves don’t have Donte DiVincenzo. Edwards and Dosunmu are still ailing. Victor Wembanyama arrives at games via flying saucer and beamed through Minnesota’s defense all night.
That 133-95 score was reminiscent of Minnesota’s series against the Nuggets two years ago. Remember when the Wolves snuck out a 106-99 win in Denver, then played the most comically-lopsided games ever in their epic seven-game battle with the Nuggets?
Still, who knows if that will happen against San Antonio?
The Timberwolves hired Tim Connelly away from Denver, and he built a team capable of beating the Nuggets. Minnesota had faced Denver the year before, when the Nuggets beat them in five games en route to winning the championship. Bruce Brown later said the Timberwolves were the toughest team they played, even though they were Denver’s first-round matchup.
Minnesota made good on that two years ago, when they eliminated the Nuggets. Then they closed out Denver again this season. The Timberwolves are familiar with the Nuggets. Connelly built the Wolves to beat them. Still, San Antonio is an entirely different beast.
The Spurs have Wembanyama, a generational talent. Stephon Castle, his running mate, is a rising star. San Antonio will outscore the Timberwolves if the game opens up too much. However, they forced Minnesota into bad shots when the Wolves slowed things down. Minnesota let its guard down after stealing Game 1, and the Spurs sent them back up I-35 with a 38-point loss to think about.
Even after winning one in San Antonio and two games at the Target Center, the Wolves have to treat this series like a heist. Edwards has two bad knees. Dosnumu doesn’t have his burst, and Naz Reid is battling a shoulder injury. The Spurs may be inexperienced, but outside experts consider them the favorites in this series. Vegas has them as 3.5-point favorites on the road in Game 3.
The Timberwolves may have stolen one from Denver, but they’ve been in that casino before. San Antonio has an entirely new vault. The Wolves must have a plan and execute it perfectly. They must know exactly what Edwards and Dosnumu can give them. They must find the right way to slow down Wembanyama and the best way to deploy X-factors like Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland.
Minnesota has little room for error in this heist. One wrong step, and the Spurs will make their championship aspirations look like a mirage. Still, the riches tucked below the casino floor are within their grasp. The Wolves just need to remember they’re the underdog as they return home for what could be another topsy-turvy playoff series.
