By: Jonah Sprinkel

“This has the feel of an exhibition game. Other than that first quarter,” said NBA on TNT analyst, Reggie Miller, as the second game in a best-of-seven series between the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves drew to a close.

The first quarter lent itself to the idea that the Wolves could actually win a game in this series. The team played quality defense, holding the Rockets to just 18 points in the first quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns kept a straight face when he was called for a foul. Andrew Wiggins looked like the Energizer Bunny. Then, the second quarter hit. The Houston Rockets woke up as the Wolves slowly drifted off to sleep.

The Rockets went on to outscore the Wolves 37-17 in the second quarter and while the fat lady hadn’t sung yet, the game essentially was over.

Who would’ve guessed that a Wolves team without competent shooters would connect on 38.8 percent of their shots from the floor and 27.8 percent from three? Would you believe that a Tom Thibodeau directed offense failed to put together any creative sets? Its not possible for the Timberwolves to leave perimeter shooters wide open, right?

The loss, while completely expected by basketball pundits everywhere, is a product of an unimaginative coach and poor roster construction. Did I mention that the Wolves star player, Jimmy Butler, clearly isn’t healthy? Oh, and the Rockets just happen to be the best regular season team this year.

Butler, who averaged nearly 16 shot attempts a game in the regular season, has combined for 17 shot attempts through the two games in this series. He has made seven of those shots. Whether it’s his meniscus or his right wrist, something clearly isn’t right and that immediately places a ceiling on this Wolves squad.

Karl-Anthony Towns is another story. If the last two games were the first time you had ever seen professional basketball, you wouldn’t believe that Towns was a member of this year’s Western Conference All-Star team, let alone the second-best player on the Wolves roster.

Through those two games, Towns has a combined 5-18 shooting for 13 points and five turnovers. His body language suggests he’s the father of four who has yet to drink his morning coffee. Clint Capela (or Nene Hilario for that matter) one on one against Towns equates to Godzilla versus a small tree. It’s simply not fair when the tree breaks at the slightest touch.

Things must change if the Wolves want to walk out of this series with their heads held high. They won’t win four games against this Rockets squad and they were never going to. But, winning players and organizations go out swinging. Franchise players rise to the occasion no matter the adversity. If this season was supposed to build the foundation for the future, then it’s extremely important that they go out on a high note, regardless of what the final score says.

To sum it all up, the Rockets won by 20 while the presumed NBA MVP shot a hair over 11 percent.

Once the Rockets return to their live demonstration of flame throwing, it will really start to feel like the sky is falling for the Wolves. Until that time comes, let’s just hope the team play some respectable playoff basketball in Target Center.

By: Seth Toupal

The Minnesota Timberwolves headed into Game 1 of their series against the Houston Rockets in need of many different things to go their way. The Rockets had trounced the Wolves in all four games of the regular season series. And yet the Wolves had a chance to send the game to overtime in the final seconds, despite the following:

1. Karl-Anthony Towns somehow ending up with only 9 shot attempts
2. Jimmy Butler finishing with only 11 shot attempts.
3. Allowing James Harden and Clint Capella to combine for 71 points on 25-41 shooting.

Despite all of those factors the Timberwolves had a great chance to land an early blow to the top team in the Western Conference, and maybe the entire NBA. The Wolves held the Rockets to 10-37 from three and only allowed three players to make more than five field goal attempts. Chris Paul finished 5-14 from the field. Trevor Ariza, PJ Tucker and Eric Gordon finished the game a COMBINED 5-21 from the field. Whether it was the lack of important games down the stretch for the Rockets or just an off-shooting night, the Wolves absolutely could have (and probably should have) finished game 1 with a win.

The Wolves did some good things, as noted above. Derrick Rose and Jamal Crawford provided much-needed offensive sparks off the bench. Andrew Wiggins and Jeff Teague were both very solid offensively. And a combination of some good defense and an off night from Houston led to the Wolves being in the game until the very end.

However, there were plenty of head scratchers throughout the game as well. The Rockets killed the Wolves on pick-and-roll situations with James Harden and Clint Capela. The Wolves in these sets would rotate both defenders toward Harden (and with as good as he deserved the attention) but that left Capela all alone under the basket for many easy lobs and dunks. The Wolves tried multiple defensive matchups for Harden, without any success in locking him down. On the offensive end the Rockets gave the Wolves plenty of matchup mismatches throughout the night but the Wolves failed to take advantage of any of them. MVP caliber players tend to take games over when needed, and Harden definitely willed the Rockets to a win last night.

The Wolves had a chance down 104-101 for a game-tying look at the end, and yet again we got to see Jimmy Butler hoist up a contested 3 that fell short. Whether or not the Rockets bluffed the Wolves into thinking they were going to foul Butler (a foul that never came) the Wolves had 8 seconds to put together a game-tying shot (more difficult with no timeouts) but to drive into the corner and take a contested shot is a look we have seen far too often this year.

After the game, Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned that Karl-Anthony Towns needs to "be more active". I counter with this: What about designing more looks for your best offensive player? Capela and PJ Tucker finished with a combined 5 blocks, and the Wolves may have been able to make a few more baskets had they been able to pull Capela away from the basket.

A few more touches for Towns, a better look at the end of the game, and more of a plan defensively and we could be talking about how the Wolves stole a game in Houston. Instead we look at an opportunity that got away, and an opportunity that may not come again if the Wolves simply hope Houston has another off-night on Wednesday.

Seth is host of The Scoop on KLGR Radio out of Redwood Falls, Minnesota. Listen to episodes of The Scoop here.

Posted by: Dan Slaubaugh

With the regular season now over, it is time for the On The Prowl staff to hand out their 2017-18 NBA awards and give our playoff predictions.

Rookie of the Year
 
Dan Slaubaugh: This could very well be the best rookie of the year race we’ve had in a decade. On one hand, we have a dynamic guard and a true rookie that is the primary offensive option for a 4-seed in the mighty West. That would be Donovan Mitchell. On the other hand, we have an ultra-versatile guard/forward in Ben Simmons who is doing it all for the 3-seeded 76ers averaging 16.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. They are both great offensively, but Simmons’ defensive prowess earns a vote from this blog boy. 
 
Zach More: Ben Simmons. I was going to use an easy out answer and predict a tie here with Donovan Mitchell but I do believe Simmons gets the award. His game and versatility has been great and he has been consistent all year.
 
Jake Paynting: Ben Simmons. Despite Donovan Mitchell’s ability to unleash hell on any opposing squad, Simmons gets my vote here. The crazy versatility and defensive prowess is enough to sneak him over the line.
 
Seth Toupal: Ben Simmons gets my vote. Donovan Mitchell has been incredible this season, but Simmons gets the nod because of his versatility. He has played multiple positions for the 76ers this year, and has played them all well. Simmons has had more of an impact on games overall than Mitchell has.
 
Jonah Sprinkel: You can’t be a rookie if you spent an entire year traveling and rehabbing with a team.
 
6th Man of the Year
 
Dan: Lou Williams. He led the Clippers in scoring (22.6 points) and assists (5.3), career highs for both. He had the highest scoring average of any bench player in the last 25 years. He's the only player in NBA history to average at least 20 points and five assists off the bench. And he led the NBA in fourth-quarter points, averaging almost eight a game. Need I say more?
 
Zach: Lou Williams. Lou had a special year for the Clippers and for a while single handedly kept them in playoff contention. Add in the fact that he averaged more PPG and APG than Gordon who started 30 of the 69 games he played in for Houston and it makes Williams the easy choice.
 
Jake: Lou Williams. Williams came off the bench in 60 of his 79 games, so he still counts as a sixth man in my eyes. The professional scorer went to another level this season, dragging the Clippers into playoff contention near single-handedly. Averaging 22.6 points and 5.3 assists off the bench? No brainer.
 
Seth: I'm going with Eric Gordon. Lou Williams may be more deserving overall, but Gordon shot 47% from 3 in March, when the Rockets were trying to lock up the top overall seed in the West. Gordon is a vital piece of what the Rockets do, and stepped up when Harden and Paul missed time this year.
 
Jonah: Lou Williams. Williams is the only played in NBA history to start fewer than 20 games and appear in more than 75 games while averaging 22 points and 5 assists.
 
Most Improved Player

Unanimous selection: Victor Oladipo. Turned into an All-Star and one of the best two-way players in the game. Registered career highs in points (23.1), rebounds (5.2), assists (4.3) and steals (2.4, a league high). Quickly filled the hole in Pacers fans hearts left by Paul George

Coach of the Year
 
Dan: Quin Snyder. Despite losing Gordon Hayward last offseason, the Jazz finished with just three fewer in wins in 2017-18 even though their defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert missed 26 games. Coached the Jazz to a 30-7 record since January 20, third best in the league. During that stretch, Utah posted an otherworldly 97.1 defensive rating He also deserves credit for putting Donovan Mitchell in a position to succeed.
 
Zach: Mike D’Antoni. D’Antoni took the addition of CP3 and made it mesh seamlessly. His ability to turn the role players into great pieces for that team was great. It never hurts having the worst record in the league for this award either.
 
Jake: Quin Snyder. I had Utah outside the playoff picture before the season, and I was pretty confident when they dropped to 17-26 midway through the season. Since then Snyder has coached the heck out of this team and has them sitting as a potential Western Conference dark horse.
 
Seth: My Houston bias might be starting to show, but Mike D'Antoni is my pick for Coach of the Year. Every team had the goal of trying to beat Golden State, and the Rockets have put a team together that can do just that. D'Antoni oversaw a seamless transition with the addition of Chris Paul (some thought there might be some friction) and has his team playing good defense too. Oh, and 65 wins.
 
Jonah: Dwane Casey. The Toronto Raptors finished the 2017-28 season 6th in the league in assists per game. Last season, the Raptors were dead last in assists per game. Casey’s offensive reformat has led to the most Raptor wins in a single season.
 
Most Valuable Player
 
Dan: In the words of Kobe Bryant, “If James Harden doesn’t win MVP this year, what the hell is he supposed to do to win MVP, average 40 points, 15 assists, and 15 rebounds? I mean, come on now. Enough is enough.”
 
Zach: James Harden. He was absolutely dominant this season, played for the best team in the league and finished the season 1st in the NBA in PPG and 3rd in APG. He also was the leader in win shares.
 
Jake: James Harden. No surprises here. Leading his Houston Rockets to first seed with a franchise record 65 wins and averaging 30.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists per night. Harden is hands down MVP.
 
Seth: I'm going with James Harden. Harden has been the driving force behind the best team in the NBA. I'm also going to give Harden credit for the strides he has made defensively this year. But game on the line with a basket to win I wouldn't go to anyone else but The Beard.
 
Jonah: At 33 years old, LeBron James started 82 games for the first time in his career, led the league in points and minutes, guided the Cavaliers to 50 wins, and posted a career high in assists per game while the team endured injuries and a mid-season roster overhaul.
 
All-NBA 1st Team
 
Dan: G James Harden, G Damian Lillard, F LeBron James, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, C Anthony Davis
 
Zach: G James Harden, G Damian Lillard, F LeBron James, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, C Anthony Davis
 
Jake: G James Harden, G Damian Lillard, F LeBron James, F Anthony Davis, C Joel Embiid
 
Seth: G James Harden, G Damian Lillard, F LeBron James, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, C Anthony Davis
 
 Jonah:  G Russell Westbook, G James Harden, F LeBron James, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, C Anthony Davis
 
All-NBA 2nd Team
 
Dan: G Russell Westbook, G Victor Oladipo, F Kevin Durant, F LaMarcus Aldridge, C Joel Embiid
 
Zach: G Russell Westbrook, G DeMar DeRozan, F Kevin Durant, F LaMarcus Aldridge, C Joel Embiid
 
Jake: G Russell Westbrook, G DeMar DeRozan, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, F Kevin Durant, C Karl-Anthony Towns
 
Seth: G Russell Westbook, G Victor Oladipo, F Kevin Durant, F LaMarcus Aldridge, C Karl-Anthony Towns
 
Jonah: G Damian Lillard, G Stephen Curry, F Jimmy Butler, F Kevin Durant, C Joel Embiid
 
All-NBA 3rd Team
 
Dan: G Chris Paul, G DeMar DeRozan, F Ben Simmons, F Jimmy Butler, C Karl-Anthony Towns
 
Zach: G Stephen Curry, G Victor Oladipo, F Jimmy Butler, F Paul George, C Karl-Anthony Towns
 
Jake: G Jrue Holiday, G Victor Oladipo, F Jimmy Butler, F LaMarcus Aldridge, C Nikola Jokic
 
Seth: G Kyle Lowry, G DeMar DeRozan, F Paul George, F Otto Porter, C Clint Capela
 
Jonah: G Chris Paul, G Victor Oladipo, F Ben Simmons, F LaMarcus Aldridge, C Nikola Jokic
 
All-Defense 1st Team
 
Dan: G Chris Paul, G Victor Oladipo, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, F Anthony Davis, C Rudy Gobert
 
Zach: G Chris Paul, G Jimmy Butler, F Paul George, F Anthony Davis, C Rudy Gobert
 
Jake: G DeJounte Murray, G Victor Oladipo, F Jimmy Butler, F Anthony Davis, C Rudy Gobert
 
Seth: G Ben Simmons, G Donovan Mitchell, F Robert Covington, F LaMarcus Aldridge, C Rudy Gobert
 
Jonah: G DeJounte Murray, Victor Oladipo, F Giannis Antetokounmpo, F Draymond Green, C Rudy Gobert
 
All-Rookie 1st Team
 
Dan: Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Kuzma, Bogdan Bogdonavic
 
Zach: Ben Simmons, Donvan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Kuzma, Lauri Markkanen
 
Jake: Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Kuzma, Lauri Markkanen
 
Seth: Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Kuzma Lauri Markkanen
 
Jonah: Donovan Mitchell, Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Smith Jr.

Shifting towards playoff conversation

What first round matchup are you most looking forward in each conference?
 
Dan: In the West, Thunder-Jazz: a series between a TEAM and star talent. Also, I'm hyped to see Rick Rubio ball in the playoffs for the first time in his career. In the East, Pacers-Cavs. Indiana has a lot of heart and could give Cleveland a run for their money if they don’t flip the switch defensively.
 
Zach: West: Jazz vs. OKC. The Jazz are a darkhorse team in the West and are going to be a tough out. OKC will have the experience and stars on their side. East: I guess the Cavs-Pacers matchup is what I am looking forward to the most. The East doesn’t have too many exciting matchups. The Pacers could play the Cavs tough and send everyone to a panic.
 
Jake: Apart from the Wolves – Rockets match-up, the firepower of Portland up against the determination of the Pelicans is a series I’ll struggle to keep my eyes off. Playoff Anthony Davis will be a ton of fun to see again.
 
Seth: I'm definitely looking forward to Thunder-Jazz most other than Rockets-Wolves in the West. The Jazz have become a dominant team with Rudy Gobert healthy. Russell Westbrook seems to always find a different gear in the playoffs, but will Paul George and Carmelo Anthony be able to help him out? How will Ricky Rubio look in his first playoff action? TONS of intrigue. In the East I'm going to be watching Celtics-Bucks. How will Boston handle Giannis? How will the Celtics look without Kyrie in the playoffs? I think Boston will still win but it could give us an answer as to if Boston can make the Conference Finals.
 
Jonah: Thunder v Jazz: Ricky Rubio playing in a highly competitive playoff series, opposite a MVP winner, will be a wonderful thing to behold.
 
Which team 5-9 has the most potential to upset their opponent in the first round for each conference?
 
Dan: In the West, I think the Pelicans. They are rolling into the playoffs while Portland kind of just treaded water the last three weeks of the season. That Anthony Davis guy is pretty good too. In the East, I think the Bucks. Without Kyrie Irving, Boston won’t have an established go-top option late in games and that hurts in the playoffs. Celtics defense is legit but they don’t have much offensive punch right now with Smart, Hayward, and Irving out. Bucks in 6.
 
Zach: West: The Jazz have the best chance to pull off the upset over OKC. The Jazz have been playing great the 2nd half of the year and their team defense will make them a tough out. East: I don’t like any chances of an upset in the East but I would put Indiana over the Cavs just because the lower teams in the East are just so overmatched.
 
Jake: While LeBron James is a different monster come playoff time, I won’t be surprised if the new and improved Victor Oladipo leads his Pacers to a series win over the Cavs. This Indiana team has a lot of heart, something we haven’t seen much of in Cleveland.
 
Seth: Utah is an easy answer in the West. I think they upset the Thunder and I think they will give the Rockets a test in round 2, taking the series to 7 games. I still don't know what to make of Cleveland so I will say the Pacers have the best chance for the upset in round 1. Victor Oladipo is a force and a lot of the Cavs new additions aren't playoff-tested. Then again neither are the Pacers. Buckle up regardless.
 
Jonah: East: Milwaukee over Boston. Without a veteran leading scorer like Kyrie Irving, the Celtics may find it hard to put enough points on the board while slowing down Antetokounmpo. West: Jazz over Thunder. Their defense will overwhelm Oklahoma City. Jazz in 7.
 
How much of a chance do the Wolves have at a competitive series with the Rockets?
 
Dan: Read my lengthy, in-depth series preview here for an answer.
 
Zach: I would love to say the Wolves can be competitive if their big 3 has a good series but I just don’t see it. The Rockets are just a terrible matchup for the Wolves. Hard to win games when the opponent outscores you from the 3 point line and the FT line. The pick and roll between Harden and Capela has given the Wolves fits too.
 
Jake: Not a great deal. While I’m hopeful Jimmy Butler can hold James Harden to a couple of quiet games, it takes more than that to beat this version of Houston. If the Wolves took two games I’d be pleasantly surprised.
 
Seth: The Wolves are going to essentially have to play perfect basketball for 4 games to win this series and hope Houston gets cold from outside. The thing about Houston that makes them so tough is they just have so many shooters, so if someone struggles they have 3 or 4 other guys who can step up. Plus Harden has Chris Paul now so he won't have to carry the whole load.
 
Jonah: Kevin Malone, “If anybody gives you 10,000-1 odds on anything, you take it.” However, even if I was given 20,000-1 odds, I would still take the Houston Rockets.
 
NBA Playoff Predictions
 
Dan:
1st round
Rockets over Wolves in 5
Warriors over Spurs in 5
Trail Blazers over Pelicans in 7
Jazz over Thunder in 7
 
Raptors over Wizards in 5
Bucks over Celtics in 6
76ers over Heat in 5
Cavs over Pacers in 6
 
2nd Round
Rockets over Jazz in 5
Warriors over Trail Blazers in 5
 
Cavs over Raptors in 6
76ers over Bucks in 5
 
Conference Finals
Rockets over Warriors in 7
Cavs over 76ers in 6
 
NBA Finals
Rockets over Cavs in 7
 
Zach:
1st round
Rockets over Wolves in 4
Warriors over Spurs in 5
Blazers over Pelicans in 7
Jazz over Thunder in 7
 
Raptors over Wizards in 6
Celtics over Bucks in 5
Sixers over Heat in 5
Cavs over Pacers in 7
 
2nd round
Rockets over Jazz in 6
Warriors over Blazers in 6
 
Sixers over Celtics in 7
Cavs over Raptors in 6
 
Conference Finals
Rockets over Warriors in 7
Cavs over Sixers in 7
 
NBA Finals
Rockets over Cavs in 6
 
Jake:
1st round
Rockets over Wolves in 5
Warriors over Spurs in 6
Pelicans over Blazers in 7
Jazz over Thunder in 6
 
Raptors over Wizards in 6
Celtics over Bucks in 5
76ers over Heat in 5
Cavs over Pacers in 7
 
2nd round
Rockets over Jazz in 7
Warriors over Pelicans in 5
 
Raptors over Cavs in 5
76ers over Boston in 7
 
Conference Finals
Warriors over Rockets in 7
Raptors over Sixers in 6
 
NBA Finals
Warriors over Raptors in 6
 
Seth:
1st round
Rockets over Wolves in 4 (sad face)
Jazz over Thunder in 6
Blazers over Pelicans in 6
Warriors over Spurs in 5
 
Raptors over Wizards in 5
Cavs over Pacers in 6
76ers over Heat in 5
Celtics over Bucks in 6
 
2nd round
Rockets over Jazz in 7
Warriors over Blazers in 7

Cavs over Raptors in 7
76ers over Celtics in 7
 
Conference Finals
Rockets over Warriors in 6
76ers over Cavs in 7
 
NBA Finals
Rockets over 76ers in 6
 
Jonah:
1st round
Rockets over Wolves in 4
Jazz over Thunder in 7
Blazers over Pelicans in 6
Warriors over Spurs in 5
 
Raptors over Wizards in 5
Cavs over Pacers in 5
Sixers over Heat in 5
Celtics over Bucks in 6
 
2nd round
Rockets over Jazz in 5
Warriors over Blazers in 4
 
Cavs over Raptors in 7
Sixers over Celtics in 6
 
Conference Finals
Warriors over Rockets in 6
Cavs over Sixers in 6
 
NBA Finals
Warriors over Cavs in 5

By: Dan Slaubaugh

The No. 1-seeded Houston Rockets will face the No. 8-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in Round 1 of the 2018 NBA Playoffs. Let’s take a look at the matchups and central storylines that will determine who wins, and how easily.

The “it took 14 years narrative” is probably getting old by now. But man, firing up my laptop and opening this writing space to write a playoff series preview felt pretty freaking good.
 
Sure, the odds of beating arguably the best team in the NBA four times in seven tries aren’t great. Sure, the fact the Timberwolves are in this position after losing ten combined games to Atlanta, Brooklyn, Memphis, Chicago, Phoenix, and Orlando when winning just three of those would have vaulted them into the 3-seed makes the playoffs bittersweet.
 
But the fact the Wolves are in the NBA Playoffs, and the way they got here after a thrilling overtime victory in a win or go home match on the last day of the regular season against the division-rival Denver Nuggets is still surreal and incredibly exciting in itself. Oh, and seeing Target Center in playoff mode again was dope as well.
 
Regardless of where the Wolves ended up in the standings, the state of Minnesota and the franchise itself needed this.
 
We needed this.
 
Lets go!
 
No. 1 Houston Rockets (65-17) vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves (47-35)
 
Playoff Series Schedule

• Game 1 in Houston: Sunday, April 15, 8 PM CT, TNT, FS North
• Game 2 in Houston: Wednesday, April 18, 8:30 PM CT, TNT, FS North
• Game 3 in Minneapolis: Saturday, April 21, 6:30 PM CT, ESPN, FS North
• Game 4 in Minneapolis: Monday, April 23, 7 PM ET, TNT, FS North
• Game 5 in Houston: TBA (if necessary)
• Game 6 in Minneapolis: TBA (if necessary)
• Game 7 in Houston: TBA (if necessary)

 
Season series: 4-0, Rockets
 
Last season’s playoff results: Rockets eliminated (4-2) by Spurs in conference semifinals; Wolves making first playoff appearance since 2003-04 season (I bet you didn’t know that!).
 
Injury report: Luc Mba a Moute (shoulder) is expected to miss the entire first round series after dislocating his shoulder Wednesday in a meaningless game against the Lakers.
 
Houston Rockets projected starting lineup: PG Chris Paul, SG James Harden, SF Trevor Ariza, PF PJ Tucker, C Clint Capela
 
Minnesota Timberwolves projected starting lineup:  PG Jeff Teague, SG Andrew Wiggins, SF Jimmy Butler, PF Taj Gibson, C Karl-Anthony Towns
 
5 things to watch
 
Great offense versus bad defense
 
Houston will be throwing the NBA’s second-best offense at a Minnesota team that’s struggled defensively all season. Scoring 112.2 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com, the Rockets finished the regular season with the NBA’s second-best offense.
 
Engineering the high-powered offense is James Harden, a transformed point guard anchoring one of the most effective and forward-thinking offenses in the 21st century. After leading the league in scoring at over 30 a game and ranking fourth in assists, Harden will likely win the MVP award.
 
Piloting (get it? Because they're the Rockets? Haha.) the offense alongside him is point gawd Chris Paul, who has fit seamlessly into the Rockets lethal offense. Combine the two superstars with very respectable three-point snipers in Trevor Ariza, PJ Tucker, Ryan Anderson, and Joe Johnson, a premier 6th man in Eric Gordon, and young-stud Clint Capela doing the dirty work down low, and you’ll see why the Rockets are projected to expose a very flawed Minnesota defense throughout the next week in a half. 

​Per Zach Lowe of ESPN, Houston scored 130 points/100 possessions in four regular games against Minnesota.
 
To be clear, that demolishes the highest yearly average of any team in the NBA. As NBA.com points out, the highest number of points per 100 possessions this season goes to the Golden State Warriors (112.3) with the Rockets a close second (112.2).

This means that in the four meetings with Minnesota, the Rockets have scored nearly 18 more points per 100 possessions than their yearly average while posting a 4-0 record in the process.

Over that four-game span, Houston topped 120 points in three games, while scoring 116 in the fourth.
​
If this trend continues, the series will get ugly, and fast.

Pick-and-roll defense
 
A large reason Houston was able to put up historical offensive numbers against the Wolves this season stems from the pick-and-roll, which James Harden and Clint Capela used to expose Minnesota’s defense this season.
 
That being said, the Wolves must rotate better on the pick-and-roll or the Rockets side of the scoreboard will escalate quicker than the Monstars side of the scoreboard vs. the Toon Squad before Bugs brought out Michael’s secret stuff. 

​In the play above, Capela acts like he’s going to set a screen but instead slips Taj Gibson and heads towards the rim. Jimmy Butler, in hindsight, should have been the one to rotate after the breakdown. He didn’t, resulting in two points for Houston. 

​Here, Capela sets a screen 25 feet from the rim for Harden to work with. Harden drives, then dishes a pocket-pass to Capela for an and-1. This is almost impossible to stop. If Towns doesn’t front Harden, he will drive to the rim for an easy layup. If one of the Wolves weakside defenders comes down to help, Harden will kick it out to either Ryan Anderson, PJ Tucker, or Luc Mbah a Moute for a three. 

For example: 

​To be clear, it’s not just Capela that Harden is great at running the pick-and-roll with. Whether it’s Nene, Anderson, or Tarik Black, Harden can make any big look good. 

Four GIF’s later, you get my point. With two point brilliant-passing point guards, an array of lights-out shooters scurried around the perimeter, and a stealthy big man down low, the Rockets have a system perfectly built to execute the pick-and-roll.
 
No matter the coverage the Wolves use to defend the pick and roll (switching, hedge and recover, blitzing, or ICE) they must practice these coverages over and over in practices leading up to the series, or their defense will continue to look silly and they’ll give up easy buckets.

Staggered Lineups
 
One thing I thought Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau did well Wednesday vs. Denver was lineup usage.
 
In the upcoming series, lineup usage, specifically staggering lineups so one of Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler, or Karl-Anthony Towns is always on the floor will be extra important. The Rockets have too good of role players to trot out a five-man lineup of Tyus Jones, Derrick Rose, Jamal Crawford, Nemanja Bjelica, and Gorgui Dieng. If they do, it could cost the Wolves a chance at a competitive series.
 
The difference between staggering of lineups between the two teams this season are wild, too. Per NBA.com, the Wolves five-man lineup of Jeff Teague-Andrew Wiggins-Jimmy Butler-Taj Gibson-Karl-Anthony Towns has played 1131 minutes this season. That is far and away the most used five-man lineup for Thibs, with the second most at 381 with Bjelica instead of Butler.
 
In contrast, the Rockets most used five-man lineup of James Harden-Chris Paul-PJ Tucker-Trevor Ariza-Clint Capela has played 267(!) total minutes this season. Injuries, and a deep Houston bench filled with offensive weapons headlined by Eric Gordon, who allows Houston to rest one superstar without sacrificing much shooting or playmaking, can certainly be attributed to the eye-popping difference. 

Small forward: Andrew Wiggins vs. Trevor Ariza
Rolling into the playoffs fresh off draining the two biggest free throws of his life, Wiggins has proven he has the ability to elevate his team when he plays hard on both sides of the ball and the Wolves will need him at his best this series. Regarding Ariza, I’ve always been a big fan of his. He’s one of the many quality 3&D wings the Rockets possess and an important part of their makeup. Advantage: Wolves
 
Power forward: Taj Gibson vs. PJ Tucker
Not gonna lie, it felt pretty good seeing Taj Gibson make ultra-clutch plays Wednesday night after campaigning for him for two straight years while the rest of the OTP staff mocked my love for him. He’s been very Andre Iguodala-like for Minnesota, especially with his quick hands. He defines consistency. Tucker, on the other hand, is a brute force of strength who shines defensively. To be concise, this matchup involved two players heavily involved in doing all the little things that lead to wins for their teams. Advantage: Split
 
Center: Karl-Anthony Towns vs. Clint Capela
In all four regular season matchups, Capela gave Towns fits defensively. KAT will rarely struggle offensively, it’s his defense that has proved faulty. This could be the most important matchup for the Wolves in this series and if Towns can dominate it, Minnesota has a legitimately fighting chance at this series. Capela, Houston’s best rebounder, and a budding offensive player, won’t make that an easy task. Advantage: Wolves

The playoffs are where the stars shine
 
The advantage of playing bench players during the regular season is it helps coaches keep their starters healthy for the playoffs. Also, it lets them develop and evaluate their bench players more.
 
One advantage the Wolves possess in this series is their surplus of stars in their starting lineup. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler are All-Stars, Andrew Wiggins can play like one when he wants, and Jeff Teague is just three years removed from an All-Star season. 

Having two of the best three players on the floor for three-quarters of the game, should you consider Butler and Towns to be better than Paul, will certainly be an advantage the Wolves should be able to utilize.
 
Karl-Anthony Towns has the ability to take over games offensively, especially if Houston goes small, and he'll need to have the series of his life if they're going to win. Jimmy Butler will also need to have a massive series, and alongside Towns, could give the Rockets a run for their money.
 
In the most important time of the NBA season, the stars will be playing the most. The Wolves have two of the biggest in the game and even if they can’t best Houston’s dynamic duo in that department, they should at least be able to match.
 
Nonetheless, the Wolves have playmakers all over the floor and as we know, offense has not been the achilles heel this season. 

Prediction
 
If you’re looking for a way the Wolves can win this series, they’ll need to flip the switch defensively. Second, they have to hope the Rockets go ice-cold from the 3-point line in at least three of the games and shoot the lights out themselves. Third, Jimmy Butler will have to shut James Harden down. And last, Houston’s lack of playoff success and history of playoff ineptitude repeats allowing the Wolves to pull off the upset.
 
But this is not the same Rockets team from the past. This team is much better.
 
The Rockets will win this series because the Wolves defense probably won’t improve in the playoffs. Minnesota has been one of the NBA's worst defensive teams this season and ranks 23rd in defensive efficiency. The Rockets, as said above, have an elite offense that can exploit the Wolves in a hurry. Plus, they finished 6th in defensive rating, 12 spots higher than last season.
 
The Wolves have enough talent and veteran leadership to win one game, but that’s it.
​
Rockets in five. 

By: Jake Paynting

Last night the Minnesota Timberwolves scratched and clawed their way past the Denver Nuggets in the much anticipated win-or-go-home regular season finale, giving the Wolves their first post-season taste test since their 2004-05 playoff run.

That long wait - formerly the longest active streak in the league - has provided many different versions prior to the squad we see now. From the days of big Al Jefferson to the return of a 37-year-old Kevin Garnett to lead the young guns. There has been plenty of potential, but little basketball joy in the Twin Cities.

But now, the drought and the 14 year rebuild has finally come to end.

No longer do we have to dwell on the moments where former President Of Basketball Operations David Kahn passed on two-time MVP Stephen Curry ... twice, or when he selected Wesley Johnson and Derrick Williams with the fourth and second pick respectively.

Those days are over.
​
The days where Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio toiled away in the brutal Western Conference only to end up a mediocre outfit time and time again are done with. The angry feeling at the basketball gods for taking Nikola Pekovic's Achilles directly after signing a 5-year, $60 million contract can finally be washed away.

After years of watching and waiting, the Timberwolves are finally invited to the playoff party again. 

The feeling experienced by long suffering fans when Wiggins knocked down two free throws to seal the 112-106 clinching victory is more than a decade overdue, and it feels so good. 

Andrew Wiggins summed it up perfectly in his usual concise post-game interview.

"That was way overdue man ... the fans deserve it, Minnesota deserves it," he said. "We needed it. It had been too long,".

The Houston Rockets won't be an easy adversary when the big dance rolls around, but it doesn't matter. Watching at least four games of playoff basketball is an experience fans couldn't have imagined when head coach Kurt Rambis led Minnesota to a combined 32 wins in his two campaigns, with Michael Beasley, Luke Ridnour and Darko Milicic were gracing the Target Center floor.

This current team is on the rise, and this first sample of playoff basketball could vault the franchise into a post-season quality team for just as long as they have suffered in the cellars of the NBA standings. This first step has been the hurdle for far too long, and it was the most important one to get over.

For the next fortnight - hopefully longer - soak up the feeling of watching the Timberwolves play a game that isn't in the regular season. It's what the great Kevin Garnett always wanted, and what the even greater Flip Saunders built this organization for.

Wash away those bad memories ... things are finally on the upswing.

​Winning basketball is back in Minnesota.