Minnesota Timberwolves nearly pulled off an NBA miracle

Surprise I: The results

Either Nickeil Alexander-Walker or Wendell Moore Jr. will play a huge role in this one. While I was uncertain who would be drafted for duty, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch knew who he would look to in this one all along, and it was Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The depleted Timberwolves bench did not have much to get excited about, but NAW was a one-man gang as he competed hard and delivered a crucial 23 minutes for the team.

He scored 11 points, hauled in four rebounds, dished out two assists, and even got a steal in a game where the rest of the Timberwolves bench did little to help out the team.

While close to a miraculous win is still a loss, don’t be too quick to rule out these Timberwolves just yet. The Timberwolves will host tonight’s winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder versus the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday Night at the Target Center. Rudy Gobert will be back for that one too.

Now the Timberwolves’ last shot at the NBA Playoffs is to win and advance to take on the top seed in the NBA Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets.

A blessing in disguise?

If the Timberwolves do advance to face the Denver Nuggets, I actually like their chances better against the Nuggets than against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Timberwolves split the series with both teams in the regular season, so there is no advantage from that front in terms of head-to-head competition.

But how have both teams played since the NBA Trade Deadline?  At the deadline, the Nuggets boasted a record of 39-18, while the Grizzles were 33-21. Since the deadline, the Nuggets have a record of 14-11, while the Grizzlies have played to an 18-10 record. Perhaps the most glaring fact is that the Denver Nuggets lost five of their last seven games.

Even if the Nuggets were resting their players, and taking a lackadaisical approach to the final games of the season, it’s difficult to flip the switch from a team that cozies up to losing to fierce competitiveness.

If there is any lesson to be learned from the Timberwolves versus the Lakers, I suggest it’s the need not to rule out the Timberwolves too quickly. This team has one more shot at earning a berth in the upcoming NBA Playoffs. And from what we’ve seen, they are always up for a challenge.

And just thinking aloud, how great would it be for Minnesota Timberwolves’ new President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly to be the mastermind behind setting up the Timberwolves roster to take down his former team, the Denver Nuggets?

That is compelling stuff, and if it comes to pass, will become an instant Timberwolves classic.