If you’re just now waking up from the mini coma you slipped into after the Milwaukee Bucks stormed back from a 24-point deficit and won with only 10 minutes remaining in the game over the Minnesota Timberwolves, please grab a paper bag because you’re definitely going to hyperventilate.
Since then, the Wolves have scored a franchise record 52 points in a quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies, and Rudy Gobert tied a career-high 35 points. Anthony Edwards also had a controversial technical foul rescinded, and they avoided a play-in tournament scenario. They will enter the NBA Playoffs as a No. 6 seed, facing the all-time leading NBA scorer, LeBron James, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Are you all caught up now?
Most teams wouldn’t boast about obtaining a 6-seed in most sports and seasons. However, outside of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference (68-14), there’s not much separation between the rest of the playoff teams. There is only a 4-game gap between seeds 2 and 8.
“I mean, it was super important because, three, four weeks ago, we thought we were gonna be in the Play-In for sure,” Edwards said after the 116-105 season finale victory vs. the Utah Jazz. “We just knew it was gonna happen, so we didn’t know the possibilities and the outcomes, but, eventually, it showed, and we were able to handle business.”
How come the only commercial that even slightly shows Edwards shooting instead of dunking is the “Anta Claus” commercial? And even then, it was a 12-pack of Sprite into a chimney. Well, that same high-flying athlete just sank 320 3-pointers to lead the NBA.
Edwards barely edged out Detroit Pistons and former teammate Malik Beasley for the 3-point crown (319). Let’s put the evolution of the 3-pointer into perspective. In 2005-06, Seattle Super Sonic guard Ray Allen made 269 3-pointers and set a record. Before that was Orlando Magic’s Dennis Scott in the 1995 season with 267. This year, Derrick White and Payton Prichard sank 265 and 255, respectively, for the Boston Celtics.
“Yeah, yeah, just be myself, try to take the game over,” said Edwards about his shooting. “Luckily, my shots were falling because if it wasn’t it probably would’ve got ugly. So, by the grace of God, I appreciate Him for helping me with my shots.”
The Timberwolves went a franchise-record 11-3 in March. Edwards and Gobert are playing their best basketball, but they only got the sixth seed? That’s how tough the West is right now. However, Minnesota’s offense is headed in the right direction at just the right time (minus the Bucks disaster).
“Yeah, absolutely. We were running this the other day in Memphis, and kind of felt going in, cleaning up some game-plan stuff, we were kind of loose on some game-plan stuff, we made some adjustments, and guys did a good job carrying that out to the floor,” coach Chris Finch said after the victory over the Jazz.
“We were able to get out, run, got a bunch of transition stuff out of our defense at the right time. We needed that.”
Edwards was the lone All-Star this season. He has teammates who have been All-Stars in the past but not this season. However, don’t go digging in the past. You’ll see that Kyle Korver was an All-Star averaging 12 points a game.
In the modern era, one All-Star is not exactly how a team wins a championship. Is Ant-Man enough?
Well, it worked for the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the sole All-Star and broke a 50-year title drought. Hmm, if only the 2021 Bucks and the 2025 Timberwolves had something in common. Oh, that’s right, they do! They both have a redheaded guard named Donte DiVincenzo in the locker room.
“Everybody feels good. The team has figured it out all season long,” said DiVincenzo. “Injuries, guys in and out of the lineup, ups and downs, and just roles fluctuating throughout the season. I think when you’re a collective group that’s together, I think in the playoffs, you need that because anyone can win any playoff game.”