The Timberwolves went about so far as they have been anticipated to go within the playoffs, earlier than dropping to the Thunder, who extra video games this common season than anybody within the league. Minnesota deserves reward. They solely lasted 5 video games within the Western Convention Finals, However they have been up in opposition to the squad that appears just like the clear title favourite.
Nonetheless, getting bounced from the playoffs is all the time powerful.
Through the Star Tribune:
Wolves guard Donte DiVincenzo mentioned a collection just like the one Minnesota simply endured “offers you perspective that you just’re not far off and also you’re proper there. We simply need to be able to attempt to get one other chew on the apple.”
Was {that a} chew? It felt extra like a nibble. Like, Minnesota tasted a smidge of the peel and thought possibly there was a drop of juice on there. That’s to not belittle this 12 months’s crew. Minnesota did publish a internet score of plus-5.0, slightly below the title-winning threshold. Put up Jan. 1, that quantity was plus-7.0.
A 12 months in the past, the Wolves have been plus-6.3. That’s title-contending stuff. And Minnesota actually regarded like extra of a championship-caliber crew final season, armed with its top-tier protection. That felt extra like a respectable chew, like a crack on the crown that simply didn’t go the Wolves’ approach for matchup and harm causes.
This didn’t. Just a few issues lined up within the Wolves’ favor by season’s finish, and it merely didn’t matter. It not often will whenever you merely aren’t in the identical caliber because the convention’s prime contender.
