The Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves down against a good Dallas Mavericks team. We have seen comebacks in the NBA playoffs before, but this would be something unbelievable if they were to pull it off. Not only do they have to play the next two games in Texas, but their opponents haven't even been playing particularly well so far in this series.
Moments in the postseason are amplified. You can have a strong three-and-a-half quarters of play, but if you are on the losing side of things and have a meme or low-light moment, that's inevitably what will stick out. Unfortunately for two of their better players on the roster, the game loss appears to be boiled down to two specific moments.
But there are two comparisons that keep being made. These were highlighted in the eventual Game 2 defeat. For one, Anthony Edwards is always going to have Michael Jordan comparisons. Also, as the defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert saw some mockingly trying comparisons between him and Victor Wembanyama. Wemby and his fellow countrymen are at different points in their careers.
Furthermore, the two moments that stood out were when Ant-Man reportedly needed to utilize the aid of assisted oxygen and the final Luka Doncic dagger. Both instances show larger concerns that have been prevalent throughout this playoff series. It's something that needs to be addressed and fixed if the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to have any hope of advancing to the NBA finals.
Kyrie Irving has largely had his way, particularly when he has chosen his moments. In fact, Edwards admitted after Game 1 that he was fatigued. Firstly, this is something that you never want to hear one of your star players openly admit, even if it is true. But more importantly, the fact that the Dallas Mavericks guard is making him work so much on the defensive end is a problem that's not going to go away.
Finally, at the end of the game, the current DPOY was isolated against Doncic on the perimeter. As a big man, his strength is obviously going to be on the interior and in the paint. But he has proven capable of defending beyond the three-point line. However, this singular moment shows what this Minnesota Timberwolves team tries to avoid and, conversely, what their opponents wisely elected to take advantage of.
Possible Solutions For The Minnesota Timberwolves
At this point in the season, you are who you are. The matchups are going to be mostly the same throughout, and at the very least, you'll see teams attacking each other in a similar way. Ultimately, it will come down to players on the losing side to make one or two more winning plays than they had earlier. That being said, there are some adjustments that could help.
As mentioned on the broadcast, the former Georgia Bulldog can't be expected to guard one of the best and most exhausting one-on-one players to keep track of for 48 minutes. But aside from having someone else be the primary defender, there are times that this team needs to admit that this isn't a good matchup and simply force the ball out of Irving's hands with a double team.
The same holds true for Gobert. He's capable of winning iso one-on-one situations. But a heavy dose of that is not a likely recipe for success. Therefore, the perimeter defenders need to show renewed effort in fighting over screens and not be as willing to switch if they don't have to. Also, by forcing the ball out of the hands through a double team, you are conceding and forcing someone else to beat you.
At the end of the day, watching the same movie and having the same ending almost shows that they have given up. By making adjustments, you are ensuring that you can at least stand a chance of advancing. If a third, fourth, or even fifth-best scoring option ends up getting hot and takes the win for the other team, then that's something that you can live with if you're the Minnesota Timberwolves.
About the Author
Gabriel keeps his curiosity on the pulse of the sports world. Agree or disagree you can reach out to him on Twitter/X @BigTenGabriel, or send an email (gstesparza@gmail.com). He will respond! He's a fan of sports and competition in all forms. His past work includes content on various sites covering college football, college basketball, UFC, boxing, soccer, MLB, and the NFL.