There was some level of hope among Minnesota Timberwolves fans that they could take control of the series and go up 3-2 heading into Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs. At the very least, you would have expected a bit more fight than a 126-97 beatdown, even with Victor Wembanyama returning.
Sure, the Wolves won two games, but the Spurs have looked like the better team all series long. Frankly, the Wolves currently look outmatched, and that doesn't feel poised to change. It was a blessing that Wembanyama got ejected from Game 4; otherwise, the Wolves' season would likely already be over.
When Wemby has played, the Wolves' offense hasn't found any rhythm against an elite Spurs' defense. Wemby cuts off all the driving lanes while the rest of the Spurs give Minnesota fits with their relentless ball pressure and calculated trapping. It's a recipe that the Wolves don't have a counter for.
Anthony Edwards has done everything you could have asked for following his second knee injury since March, but there hasn't been enough consistent creation or ball handling from his teammates. The frontcourt duo of Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle hasn't been able to space the floor at all, which has further made overcoming the Wemby puzzle challenging.
While I hope to be wrong, these problems seem flat-out insurmountable for the Wolves at this juncture. Likewise, this series is proving that the Wolves are a notch below being a true title threat and will need to shake up the roster this summer.
This series is proving the Timberwolves aren't true title contenders
Truthfully, the Spurs have been the far better team all season long. San Antonio won 62 games and was the No. 2 seed, while Minnesota won 49 games and was the No. 6 seed. It shouldn't be groundbreaking news to say that the Spurs are the more complete team.
The Timberwolves' playoff experience made it hard to count them out, but in reality, beating the Spurs was always going to be a tall task.
Furthermore, considering Donte DiVincenzo's injury, which limits the Timberwolves' ability to rack up 3-pointers (the only true way to beat the Spurs), it really shouldn't be a shocker that the Wolves are on the brink of elimination.
Undoubtedly, though, this reality stings. After back-to-back conference finals runs, the goal was always to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy this season.
It's clear, though, that the Wolves are once again a notch below the league's best teams. Moreover, as we saw last year against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Wolves struggle against defenses that can both provide intense ball pressure and elite rim protection.
With the Spurs and Thunder already this dominant and primed to sustain success for the next decade plus, the Wolves must find a way to improve their roster this summer. Getting a more dependable co-star next to Ant should be the Wolves' top priority this offseason.
Overall, it's fair to believe this series will trigger some major changes because, as it stands, the Wolves aren't good enough to win a title.
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