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Even after dropping a pair of home games, Timberwolves remain confident heading into Game 5

jace frederick, pioneer press
·4 min read

The postseason perception pendulum can swing rapidly and violently over the duration of a best-of-7 playoff series.

The Timberwolves went from presumptive NBA champions after taking two games in Denver to open the Western Conference semifinals against the reigning champs, to dead in the water in the eyes of some after the Denver Nuggets evened the score with a pair of wins in Minneapolis.

The truth generally lies somewhere in the middle. Momentum generally isn’t a thing over the course of a two-week series. Adjustments, matchups and performance will be what determines the ultimate victor.

Minnesota is at least speaking as though it possesses that understanding to this point, even as a team that’s been through very few playoff battles.

“I don’t think (the Nuggets) got any momentum. We won two games. They won two games,” Wolves guard Anthony Edwards said. “At this point, it’s whoever wins two games. I don’t know how people look at it, but I look at it like I’m happy. I’m ready. It’s competing at the highest level. I’m smiling about it because I’m happy. I’m ready to go play.”

Game 5 is Tuesday in Denver. The winner of that bout will be one game away from the Western Conference finals. Sure, the last two results suggest Denver will win at home for the first time this series. But nothing about Games 1 and 2 foreshadowed the Nuggets’ dominance in Minnesota.

Things change. Each game develops its own personality. The Timberwolves know that better than most. They never allowed short-term struggles to grow into long-term issues during the regular season.

Minnesota has not lost three consecutive contests at any point this season. Continuing that streak would equal coming back to the Twin Cities with a 3-2 series lead.

“That’s something I was thinking about myself,” Wolves forward Naz Reid said. “I think at this point, we get back to the drawing board, make adjustments and lock in.”

But losing three straight in the regular season generally means falling to three separate foes. The playoffs feel different. If your opponent finds a weakness or a solution, it can pick at the same scab again and again until you find a way to cover it. So, is regular season resilience applicable in this situation?

“I hope so. I don’t want to lose three in a row, obviously. We’ve always been a good team when we don’t play our best, we hit some adversity, that next game or two, we find a way to get back on track, whatever it entails,” Wolves point guard Mike Conley said. “Hopefully, we get Game 5 in Denver, we’re confident, find a way to adjust.”

That confidence was stated by all who spoke after the Game 4 defeat. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch described his players as “frustrated” but “fine.”

“It’s 2-2. We’ve got a three-game series going on (now),” Finch said. “We never thought this would be a quick series.”

Maybe not at the outset. But it was hard after the first two games to not think that maybe the Wolves simply out-matched Denver. Two games later, that theory is clearly dead.

Are the Timberwolves?

They don’t think so. And, on Tuesday, they’ll have a chance to prove it.

“I mean, there’s no choice. I mean, this is the playoffs; second round, Western Conference semifinals. You got to stay mentally strong. You got to stay disciplined, as well. Things were going really right for us all playoffs. The first round, second round and then, obviously, things have turned around,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “So, we just got to stay connected in this locker room. The biggest thing for us has been what’s so great, and what’s been a joy to be a part of and watch, is just the continuity this team has. Even through good, bad, we always are together and we always lean into the brotherhood that we have built here.

“We talked about it, we keep talking about it every day, I talk about it all the time, obviously, about our team. But it’s a test now. And we got to be willing to show the work that we’ve put into our friendships and our relationships in this team, and that work that we’ve put in all year, will materialize to us either finding a way to win this series together, or finding ourselves on the wrong side of history.”

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