Minnesota Timberwolves Play-In Tournament primer

Los Angeles Clippers

The Wolves only beat the Clippers in one of their four matchups, a 122-104 win in Los Angeles on Jan. 3. All three losses came in the first 12 games of the season.

Interestingly, the most recent game was probably least representative of how the play-in will look. That was the one game Paul George — who is back on the court — didn’t play against the Wolves. Furthermore, Serge Ibaka and Eric Bledsoe, neither of whom are still with the Clippers, both started in that Wolves win.

Now, Los Angeles much more closely resembles the team that took it to Minnesota in the early portion of the season. It has its full complement of big, versatile forwards (minus Kawhi Leonard most likely) to throw at Karl-Anthony Towns, as it did in showcasing the merits of defending KAT with a four in those three easy wins.

That’s not to say the Wolves don’t have a chance; after all, they’ve grown a lot from those early-season struggles. Anthony Edwards has a track record of success against the Clippers, averaging 23.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and four assists in the four games while Los Angeles keyed in on Towns.

However, it does feel notable that Los Angeles has been perhaps more successful than any other team at slowing down Towns, who averages just 15.3 points on 42.1 percent shooting against the Clippers. The star big man’s performance will likely be a determining factor in how this game turns out.

New Orleans Pelicans

This is another team that profiles as a bad matchup for Minnesota should it come to a second game. Jonas Valanciunas has long given Towns issues with his burly style of play, and the Wolves don’t have any big men who can compete with his size; that’s evidenced by his 17.5-point and 14-rebound averages in four games against Minnesota this season.

The Wolves and Pelicans split their four matchups this season, all of which came before New Orleans’ potentially season-altering acquisition of CJ McCollum. The former Blazers guard provides another reliable source of perimeter offense alongside Brandon Ingram, who scored at least 27 points on 52 percent shooting or better in three of the four games he saw the Wolves. Plus, New Orleans is hot, having won nine of their last 14 contests entering Sunday’s season finale.

Still, there’s plenty to be optimistic about from Minnesota’s side. Towns has put up big numbers against the Pelicans this year despite dealing with Valanciunas, averaging 27.8 points per game and shooting 38.5 percent from three. The Wolves also have plenty of bodies to throw at McCollum and Ingram as one-on-one defenders, from Patrick Beverley to Jarred Vanderbilt.

San Antonio Spurs

The name of the game for beating the Spurs is dominant individual performances. The Wolves know this better than most, given that Karl-Anthony Towns set a franchise record with 60 points in a win in San Antonio just three weeks before Edwards dropped 49 in a rematch at the Target Center on April 7.

Minnesota has won all three games against San Antonio this season and enjoys a clear talent advantage. However, the Spurs are another team that enters the Play-In Tournament playing its best ball of the season. Before losses to the Wolves and Warriors, San Antonio had won seven of eight games to clinch its spot in the play-in.

Dejounte Murray is a legit star at point guard and will be a major threat assuming he recovers from illness in time for these games. Keldon Johnson is one of the players who has made Minnesota pay for employing a sagging defense, averaging 22 points and shooting 50 percent from three on six attempts per game in this season’s three matchups.