In Game 6 at home the TWolves did not need Anthony Edwards to close out the Denver Nuggets at home. Last night in Game 1 at San Antonio the league’s most explosive player, Anthony Edwards, and his head coach Chris Finch had another plan.
With a tender knee and such, AE did not start and played a relatively quiet first three periods. Entering the fourth period Edwards had scored but seven points and was a mere blip in the game. Chris Finch was also missing guards Ayo Dosunmu and Donte D.
But it did not matter as Finch masterfully rotated his five other guards with Anthony being on a minutes restriction of sorts and not starting the game. The Twloves guard minutes looked like this….Edwards 25:15, Terrance Shannon 34:50, Mike Conley 24:13, Bones Hyland11:56, and Waylen Clark with 7:21 of playing time.
When the game ended with a 104-105 TWolve victory…AE had 18 points and 3 assists. Anthony was the catalyst in the deciding fourth period.
We all go on and on about the Thunder’s depth at the wing position, but when Ayo D returns these TWolves in my mind will offer the second deepest guard rotation in the league. Plus…unlike the Spurs’ youngsters…these guys have alteady been thru the process of post season basketball.
And these guys have a KIA Clutch Time closer of their own in AE if they can keep him on the floor. The Wolves also have the deepest rotation of nasty big guys in Naz Reed, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, and Julius Randle. These guys don’t in any way right now look like a team which just came off a disapponting 49-win regular season. They look like a team on a mission to prove something.
This is why I kept the Twolves as my No. 7 darkhorse pick before the playoffs began. These guys know how to win in post season, they just need to take it one step further this season to advance to an NBA Finals.
As far as the Spurs…this is a learning experience. The Phoenix Suns, Portland Trailblazers, and teams of that ilk aren’t still around to play. To get where the Spurs want to get under youthful coach Mitch Johnson the Spurs are basically going to have to beat the TWolves and Thunder a collective eight times with both the Wolves and Thunder having home court advantage after last night’s home loss.
I’m sure after watching the film from last night’s loss, Mitch Johnson has already figured out two things, 1 Wemby needs to take it to the rim and quit jacking threes, and 2 De’Andre Fox at the point has to play on another planet compared to how poorly he played at times in Game 1.
Mitch Johnson and his Spurs shouldn’t panic. But you need to learn and adjust on the fly becuase that’s what NBA Playoff basketball is all about. That being, every game of seven is a new manuscript. Every game has its own unique little twists and wrinkles.
BUT, having written the above paragraph…Game 2 at home tomorrow night is an absolute must win game for the Spurs. Now…what we don’t know is how Anthony Edwards’ knee will feel on Thursday, and we don’t know how committed coach Chris Finch might be in going beyond that 25-minute mark.
So what we have here is playoff basketball with all of its subplots and nuance. I don’t know how the KNEE is feeling.. Only Anthony Edwards and his knee know right now. But I know MJ will be firmly in place to witness and cover Game 2 in San Antonio on America’s No. 1 underground NBA blog.
Good luck tonight, LA Lakers. You’re going to need some amazing grace from the basketball gods is all I can speculate.
Mike J