At the start of the NBA season, not many people liked the Minnesota Timberwolves' chances of winning the title in 2024. They lost in the first round in just five games, and don't appear to be in the same league as teams like the Denver Nuggets.
Fast forward to today, and they have proven to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They flirted with the top seed in the West, and although they fell short of that goal late in the season, they proved they were the real deal in the first round.
With that in mind, we need to talk about why you should take Chris Finch's team seriously. The Minnesota Timberwolves' playoff run sets the table for a rematch with the same team that brought them home last season, and although taking on one of the greatest centers in NBA history is no easy task, they appear ready for the challenge.
Do they have a real chance?
For starters, we have to admit that the Timberwolves are not the same team they were last season. This time around, their great frontcourt of Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert is combined together, which was not the case last year.
Gobert has made great strides as a perimeter defender, and was never exposed or taken off the field late in games against the Phoenix Suns. Now, he can hold his own against smaller, faster defenders, instead of being stuck in the restricted area.
Karl-Anthony Towns has had some well-documented personality issues in big games, but the Timberwolves don't need him to be Batman anymore. Given time, Anthony Edwards, as the undisputed best player and leader, can step back and become one of the best Robins in the league.
Edwards is a natural leader and has made everyone around him better. He raises the level of his players on and off the field, and has become a much better defender on and off the ball than he was when the two teams tied last season.
Even there, Edwards single-handedly wanted this team to get a big win in the first round to avoid a sweep, and he was even on the road. He's now more mature and better, and has been one of the best – if not the best – players in the playoffs so far.
Match with Denver
The Timberwolves and Nuggets have taken turns winning four regular-season meetings this year. They have the best defense in the league by a wide margin, and they have enough length to fit into the Nuggets' starting lineup, something not many teams can boast.
Furthermore, they currently have the deepest squad. Championships are won not just one through five, but also six through ten, and the Timberwolves' second unit has been impressive this season, starting with Nas Reid, the recently crowned Sixth Man of the Year.
The Timberwolves have a better chance of taking down the Nuggets than any other team in the league. And while the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, or Los Angeles Clippers wouldn't be easy opponents, it wouldn't be surprising to see them go the distance.
If so, we should point to the fact that both matchups with the Boston Celtics – the most likely opponent in the NBA Finals – went into overtime, with both teams winning once. It also fits well with them.
The Timberwolves have historically struggled and have only reached the Western Conference Finals once in franchise history. But Nikola Jokic and the 2023 Denver Nuggets have proven to us that curses must be broken, and this may also be their turn to keep the monkey off their backs.
