While the Rockets rested almost their entire roster of rotation in their season finale, the Wolves were pushed to overtime by the Nuggets in a winner-reaches-the-playoffs game. It was Kevin Garnett’s team. He led the team in points, rebounds and assists per game and can score on the blocks, stretch his shot to three-point range and serve as a unsafe facilitator from the high elbow when opposing defenses send additional attention his way.
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The Timberwolves are so good at home that I just don’t see them losing this game. They’ll face No. 4 Oklahoma City on the road to open the playoffs. The Wolves acquired Butler in a trade with the Chicago Bulls last summer. The Nuggets have not played in the postseason since the 2012-13 season.
Turnovers: Denver had 15 for 24 points, a problem all season that popped up in the final game.
Yet like so many games during this streak, Denver made a late push in the fourth quarter.
Minnesota led Denver 62-54 at half time. He got a fair amount of help from Will Barton (24 points, eight rebounds) and Jamal Murray (20 points, six rebounds).
In his two games since getting activated, he’s scored 33 total points and knocked down 10 of his 18 shot attempts. The Timberwolves come in with a 29-11 home record and the Nuggets sit at 15-25 on the road.
The Warriors-Spurs game will followed Saturday by three other openers – Washington-Toronto, Miami-Philadelphia and New Orleans-Portland. Either way, that team should be the Timberwolves, who will ride Butler, Towns, and Wiggins to a 117-110 victory.
If ever there was a time to have a referendum on a blockbuster trade, this is it for the Minnesota Timberwolves. But the Timberwolves would have to transform into something other than the flawed crew that needed five extra minutes on the season’s final night just to make the playoffs.
The Timberwolves are facing the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The fans even chanted “MVP!”
The last time the Wolves were in the playoffs, “Shrek 2” was the top movie at the box office, “Yeah!” by Usher feat. “It’ll hit me, what happened”.
Next up for the Timberwolves, it’s a first-round series with the NBA-best Houston Rockets. He’s likely to get some votes for the All-NBA team.
Utah rookie Donovan Mitchell, who the night before set the new single-season record for 3-pointers with 186 – breaking Lillard’s rookie mark – was 1-for-8 from the perimeter. They, however, are riding some incredible momentum. All of those contests were decided by six points or less.
On the season, the Rockets are averaging 112.7 points, 43.5 rebounds and 21.7 assists per game.
On Tuesday, April 10, Towns and the Timberwolves (46-35) sat one game away from carrying that promise out.
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Actually, for Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas and Charlotte, the end came in their season finales Tuesday.
