The Timberwolves are two wins away from earning their third-consecutive trip to the Western Conference Finals. It’s an unprecedented level of sustained success – both league-wide in today’s game, and especially for an organization that, prior to the arrival of Anthony Edwards and Co., previously reached the stage just once.
The prior trip came in 2004, when Kevin Garnett was finally surrounded with the necessary supporting case to get Minnesota over the first-round hump that’d stalled the Wolves in each of their first seven playoff appearances with “The Big Ticket.”
Those teams were considered decent, but far from great.
And yet, they consistently out-performed the current editions of the Wolves during regular season play.
In the five-season run from 1999-2004, the Timberwolves logged four 50-plus win seasons. The Anthony Edwards-Chris Finch era has one. That’s semantics to a degree, Minnesota has won 49 games each of the last two seasons.
But, on average, Minnesota averaged 51.2 wins per season from 1999-2004. During this five-year streak of consecutive playoff appearances, the Wolves are averaging 48.4 victories.
Yet their playoff performances far out-shine those of their predecessors.
Why the discrepancy? Boredom was cited throughout this season – a belief from players that they’d been there and done that in the regular season, and simply wanted to fast forward to the playoffs. Last season, the transition from a major trade made on the eve of training camp was the reason given for the uninspiring 82-game campaign.
There’s always something. And maybe it is that Minnesota simply tries harder come mid-April, or things simply click at the right time. But it’s also hard to ignore that the playoffs are a far different brand of basketball than what you’ll see in the regular season.
The physicality is unrecognizable. Every possession in the NBA playoffs is chalk full of pushing, grabbing and holding. Under those circumstances, the game becomes far less about sets and execution and far more a measure of size, strength and athleticism.
Being able to deliver and absorb hits is the name of the game.
Which is where these Wolves thrive.
Because they are, largely, a pack of big, physical athletes. Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, Terrence Shannon Jr., Rudy Gobert, Jaylen Clark, the list goes on and on.
Shannon and Reid struggled defensively at various points in the regular season, largely because it was difficult for them to contain on the perimeter without drawing a whistle. That hasn’t been an issue in these playoffs.
Because the fundamental lapses they have with feet sliding and hand placement aren’t penalized in the same manner. Eight of the 16 NBA playoff teams sport defensive ratings below 111 this postseason after just three of 30 did during the regular season.
It is easier to play on that end of the floor in the postseason, because there are more options at your disposal to limit when and how your opponent can move. Speed can be negated. Sets can be derailed.
“I think in the regular season we’re allowed to play one way, and when you get to the playoffs you’re allowed to be more physical,” Wolves guard Mike Conley said. “Which I think allows the bigger, stronger, more athletic guys to shine even more, because they’re used to playing that way. They’re used to being aggressive, to getting downhill and using their shoulders and finishing their contact. All those things are normal.
“So playoffs is an easier environment I think for teams that have guys like that.”
Minnesota struggled with details in execution at various points in the regular season, which maddened both the team’s coach and its fan base. Those detail-driven lapses are still present in these playoffs – the transition defense throughout this series and offensive approach for much of the second half of Game 4 are prime examples.
But those deficiencies are often outweighed by Minnesota’s dominance on the defensive end and on the glass – two areas where physicality, if allowed, often rule.
The Wolves had 25 second-chance points in Game 4 after logging 30 in Game 3.
“Size matters,” Minnesota center Rudy Gobert said.
Likely more than it does in the regular season, given the way the game is played and officiated. So maybe the Wolves won’t ever dominate the 82-game slate to the tune of 60-plus wins. But they do appear to, quite literally, be built for the playoffs.
“Down the stretch in a basketball game, no matter what, you need to rebound,” Gobert said. “You need to contest shots. Size matters, and we have some very unique guys that can also play different positions offensively. We’ve got to take advantage of that.”