Tim Connelly’s decision may have saved Timberwolves’ season

The Minnesota Timberwolves are back in the NBA Playoffs for the third time in six seasons. It took a play-in victory over the Thunder, but the Wolves are officially in the playoff field in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 19 years.

One of the keys to them earning a victory in the 84th game of the season against Oklahoma City was a last-minute lineup change that turned out to be such a good decision it carried over into game one of the first round of the playoffs for Minnesota.

The alteration, of course, was moving Nickeil Alexander-Walker into the starting lineup with Jaden McDaniels sidelined with a broken hand. But it was not until after the contest ended on Friday night that we learned who was behind this big decision: Timberwolves President Tim Connelly.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s spark saved the Timberwolves from elimination.

In the Timberwolves’ final play-in game, NAW put up 12 points on 50% shooting along with three steals and two blocks. He also hit two big threes as Minnesota thumped the Thunder to stave off elimination and lock up the eight seed in the playoffs.

In the Wolves’ previous play-in game against the Lakers, Kyle Anderson and Taurean Prince slid into the starting lineup with McDaniels out and Rudy Gobert suspended. While Anderson was incredible in that game, Alexander-Walker played the most minutes of any player off the bench and made his case to be the starter against OKC.

Against the Thunder, NAW took on the assignment of guarding his cousin and Oklahoma City’s number one scoring option, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In possessions where he was SGA’s primary defender, Alexander-Walker held the master scorer to two-for-fourteen shooting.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s defense was one of the biggest reasons Minnesota emerged from the nine-ten play-in game victorious. And in the end, it was the oft-criticized Tim Connelly that made a season-saving decision for the Timberwolves.