Game Preview #28 – Timberwolves at Hawks

The Timberwolves offense is sputtering and the defense hasn’t looked much better. Can Anthony Edwards find some magic heading home for the holidays in Atlanta?

Minnesota Timberwolves at Atlanta Hawks
Date: December 23rd, 2024
Time: 6:30 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App/iHeart Radio

Can the Wolves Find Some Holiday Magic in Atlanta?

They say there’s no place like home for the holidays. For Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Monday night offers a chance to bring some Christmas cheer back to Minnesota by putting on a show against the Atlanta Hawks. The Timberwolves are desperately in need of a bounce-back win after a tough week, and what better way to get right than with their franchise star playing in front of his hometown crowd?

But let’s be honest: this team’s December has been the basketball equivalent of a Hallmark Christmas movie. You think you’re getting a warm, fuzzy turnaround story, and then—bam!—your offense dries up like the turkey your cousin Greg left in the oven for six hours. Sure, the Wolves started the month hot, holding opponents defensively to the 80s and 90s. But over the last two games, that defensive identity disappeared faster than Buddy the Elf after drinking too much syrup.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

It hasn’t all been bad. The Wolves have shown flashes of the team we thought they could be. When the defense is clicking, they look like a legitimate playoff squad. But when it’s not? Yikes. Over 100 points allowed in back-to-back losses to the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors? That’s not going to cut it for a team struggling to find its offensive footing.

Here’s the problem: the Wolves’ offense has been a mess. Mike Conley just hasn’t been the steadying veteran presence they hoped for. Behind him, there’s not much depth at point guard. Rookie Rob Dillingham has looked electric in limited action, but Chris Finch seems reluctant to give him the reins. And let’s not even get into the stopgap solutions of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dante DiVincenzo taking turns running the offense.

Then there’s the spacing issue. Neither Rudy Gobert nor Julius Randle is a threat from deep, which means defenses can pack the paint and force Anthony Edwards into a barrage of threes. If those shots fall, great. If they don’t, like on Friday against the Warriors, the offense grinds to a halt. Add in Randle’s love for “bully ball” and you’ve got a recipe for stagnant possessions and frustrated teammates.

What Needs to Happen in Atlanta

If the Wolves want to get back on track, it starts with defense. I know, I sound like a broken record, but it’s true. When the Wolves clamp down on D, they win games. It’s that simple. They need Rudy, Randle, and Naz Reid to own the paint and make life miserable for Clint Capela and Atlanta’s bigs. Trae Young is listed as a game-time decision, but let’s assume he plays. The Wolves’ wings, particularly Jaden McDaniels and Alexander-Walker, need to swarm him and limit Atlanta’s looks from deep.

Offensively, the Wolves need to rediscover some flow. We can’t have another repeat of Friday night’s disaster, where it felt like they were trying to set a record for most scoreless minutes in a quarter. Ball movement is key. The Wolves need to keep the ball hopping, make the extra pass, and—here’s a wild idea—hit some open shots. Edwards is going to be motivated to show out in front of his hometown crowd, but Finch has to put him in positions to succeed. No more isolation-heavy hero ball; let the offense work for him.

And for the love of all things merry and bright, avoid the slow start. The Wolves can’t dig themselves a hole early and expect to claw their way out, especially against a Hawks team that has been playing well as of late.

Why This Game Matters

This stretch of four games against the Knicks, Warriors, Hawks, and Mavericks was always going to be tough. Most fans probably would’ve been happy with a 2-2 split, but after dropping the first two, the margin for error is gone. A win in Atlanta would not only right the ship but set the stage for a potential momentum-building Christmas Day showdown with Dallas.

Let’s not sugarcoat it: the Western Conference standings are tight. The Wolves are clinging to the 10th seed, but they’re also just five games out of the No. 2 spot. This season isn’t lost—not by a long shot—but they need to start stacking wins, and that starts Monday night.

Final Thoughts

This game is a gut check for Minnesota. Do they have the mental toughness to bounce back from two bad losses? Can they find their defensive mojo again and grind out a win? These are the questions the Wolves need to answer—not just in Atlanta, but over the next ten days as they navigate a brutal December schedule.

For as frustrating as this team can be, the talent is there. We’ve seen it. They just need to play to their strengths, execute the fundamentals, and, most importantly, stay locked in on defense.

So, here’s hoping Ant puts on a show for the hometown crowd, the Wolves rediscover their identity, and we all get a little holiday cheer in the form of a much-needed win. It’s not too late for this team to turn things around—after all, there’s still plenty of basketball left. And who doesn’t love a good redemption story around Christmas?