Deliver on Thursday.
That is the temper now after one other devastating defensive suffocation by the Timberwolves, who this time shut down a Spurs group on Sunday that made them seem like fools earlier this season.
The situation of the season has formally modified, as evidenced by the Wolves’ 106-92 victory. On Sunday, the Spurs needed to search for room to maneuver on many possessions and sometimes discovered themselves with no probability – as is usually the case for the Wolves’ opponents of late.
Minnesota has gained six of its final seven video games. In every of these victories, the Wolves held their opponent to 92 factors or fewer, which is unthinkable in at present’s NBA. For reference, solely 38 video games within the league this season have seen a group rating fewer than 93 factors.
Throughout that seven-game span, the Wolves led the NBA in defensive score, permitting simply 92.8 factors per 100 possessions. The following finest is Oklahoma Metropolis, at 103.5.
The Spurs had 79 factors with two minutes left earlier than scoring 13 factors within the closing 103 seconds in a battle on the finish of the benches.
The stage is now superbly set for Minnesota’s subsequent struggle – Thursday at Goal Middle towards… the New York Knicks.
Sure, this will probably be accurately billed as Karl-Anthony Cities’ return to Minnesota. However the subplot of among the finest offenses within the NBA – the Knicks – struggling towards what’s now thought-about among the finest defenses within the NBA is an intriguing story in its personal proper.
This would be the first really elite offense the Wolves could have the possibility to tame since their defensive resurrection. There have actually been a variety of paltry offensive items confronted throughout this latest stretch. However San Antonio does not fall into that class. The Spurs have been a top-10 offense of their earlier 10 video games, however even that they had nothing for Minnesota.
Victor Wembanyama was his ordinary hard-hitting self. He had 20 factors, 12 rebounds, seven blocked pictures and 5 assists. However, as a group, the Spurs shot lower than 41 p.c from the ground and a horrible 24 p.c from deep. San Antonio had 34 assists on Sunday, however solely three unassisted buckets.
Minnesota scored fewer than 110 factors in regulation for the eleventh straight recreation, however six gamers scored a minimum of 9 factors. Anthony Edwards led the best way with 26 factors, whereas Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 17 factors coming off the bench and Mike Conley had eight assists.
The star of the Wolves recreation, nevertheless – for the second consecutive competitors – was Jaden McDaniels. He was as soon as once more a defensive risk whereas typically being free to play in numerous spots on the pitch because of the opposition’s lack of a star scorer. McDaniels pulled down 11 rebounds and 4 steals as he joined Rudy Gobert in being a damaging tandem on the defensive finish.
McDaniels’ enchancment in play after a sluggish begin to the marketing campaign could have so much to do with Minnesota’s return to type. When he and Gobert are on the peak of their energy, it is tough to attain towards the Wolves, whatever the opponent.
How tough is it precisely? Properly, Thursday’s recreation will go a great distance in offering that reply.
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