All Things Minnesota Timberwolves 2022-2023 In-Season Thread

Porzingis recorded 28 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in Washington's 126-101 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. The win was the Wizards' ninth in their last 13 games overall and sixth in their last eight on the road.

Porzingis made 10 of 15 shots from the floor and all seven attempts from the foul line to reach the 20-point plateau for the 14th time in his last 19 appearances. He raised the bar in his last encounter with the Timberwolves, scoring a career-high 41 points in Washington's 142-127 victory on Nov. 28.

Minnesota likely remembers that game for a different reason. Three-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns injured his right calf in the third quarter and needed assistance to leave the court. He has yet to return to game action.

Kyle Kuzma, who scored 23 points in the previous meeting with the Timberwolves, poured in 33 on Tuesday in his return from a four-game absence due to a left ankle sprain.

Kuzma made 6 of 10 attempts from 3-point range for the Wizards, who shot 51.5 percent from beyond the arc (17 of 33).

"We're making strides. I think we did a good job," Kuzma said. "I think the biggest way -- we talk about efficiency -- is just the way we were playing, playing the right way, playing extra pass basketball, moving the ball around. That's going to cause a lot of efficient nights because you're getting quality shots."

Washington's efficient offensive performance notwithstanding, Bradley Beal was quick to credit his team's adjustments on defense that helped turn the tide on Tuesday.

"It's just our attention to detail on that end," Beal said, per the Washington Post. "We realized that this is how we're going to win. We can't win unless we get some stops, unless we shut some guys down and make some teams miss."

The Wizards' focus in that regard on Thursday will be Anthony Edwards, who has posted career-best statistics in several categories while playing in his third season since being selected with the top overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft..

 

14. Minnesota Timberwolves
2022-23 record: 31-29
Previous ranking: 15

The Timberwolves got better over the trade deadline by exchanging Russell for Mike Conley. It's not that Conley is a bigger name than Russell, but his style of play fits their needs and he has a preexisting relationship with Rudy Gobert. He is also the kind of player who should be able to learn how to play with Karl-Anthony Towns quickly upon his return. -- Andrews

 

Cleveland is buying out Kevin Love with Miami the most discussed landing spot. Knew he was good there, didn't know quite how good.

"Franchise history ranks: - 9th in points (7663) - 2nd in 3PT made (1096) - 10th in FG made (2503) - 6th in total rebounds (4493) - 1st in defensive rebound percentage (29.7%)"
 


Cleveland is buying out Kevin Love with Miami the most discussed landing spot. Knew he was good there, didn't know quite how good.

"Franchise history ranks: - 9th in points (7663) - 2nd in 3PT made (1096) - 10th in FG made (2503) - 6th in total rebounds (4493) - 1st in defensive rebound percentage (29.7%)"
Yeah, he's had an underrated career. I'm just glad he isn't going to LA.
 





I just got the Wolves at 100-1 right now to win the Western Conference, for a small piece of action. I figured what the hell, why not. It could happen?
 





The Wolves got the big lead because they shot the hell outta the ball early. They lost because they quit hitting shots. The win was the Wizards' tenth in their last 14 games overall and seventh in their last eight on the road. Dammit.

MINNEAPOLIS — Ahead of the Washington Wizards’ 114-106 comeback win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, Coach Wes Unseld Jr. said the thing about his team that he’s most proud of is its resiliency.

He was talking big picture, reflecting on the season as the Wizards enter the all-star break. But a prediction may have been cloaked in his response. Washington fought back from a 20-point deficit in the first quarter, took its first lead with 1:14 to play and earned its vacation with an impressive road win.

Call it resiliency, two ways.

“We’re slowly becoming a team, in my opinion, and tonight proved that,” Kristaps Porzingis said. “. . . Probably this is the best win for me this season so far because of how we showed our heart.”

The Wizards at this point know how to weather a storm.

Their first 58 games included a 10-game losing streak, 22 games played without Beal and a grueling road schedule, even by NBA standards. Washington started the season with a trip to Japan and since Dec. 12 has gone on three road trips of at least eight nights each. Its last extended trip of the season was a three-game, five-night trip during which the Wizards went 2-1, ending with the win over Minnesota..

 




This team rips your heart out.
The pg play was the worst I've ever seen. Conley and J-Mac combined for 0-9 shooting. Not sure how Conley didn't get credited for a couple of turnovers but J-Mac had 2 in 11 minutes.
 


I flipped the all-star game on to see how Ant was doing. I watched one minute. These guys are an embarrassment to the game. Cross midcoast on defense and be a statue. Literally don't move.

Cancel that stupid game.

Give the entire league 5 days off. Then get back to playing.

I know, I know..........$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

That game is creepy bad.
 

I flipped the all-star game on to see how Ant was doing. I watched one minute. These guys are an embarrassment to the game. Cross midcoast on defense and be a statue. Literally don't move.

Cancel that stupid game.

Give the entire league 5 days off. Then get back to playing.

I know, I know..........$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

That game is creepy bad.
All Star games across all professional sports are the same. If you choose to tune in, that's on you.
 

All Star games across all professional sports are the same. If you choose to tune in, that's on you.
true!

However, i do remember there being some pretty intense 4th quarters for the NBA all star game back in the day. Don't think todays players have that same mentality
 


All Star games across all professional sports are the same. If you choose to tune in, that's on you.
Baseball all star game is alright. They throw hard.

I tuned in for one minute, and it is on me.

You replying to my tuning in is on you, though.
 

With LeBron hurting his hand trying to black a dunk by Pascal Siakam, the chances of having a real All Star "game" again are probably gone.
 

Here's a rare situation where the early on rumors were true. Russell Westbrook is signing with the Clippers.


"The nine-time All-Star will instead finalize a buyout with Utah and sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN reported Monday. The Jazz were set to owe Westbrook $16 million if he played, but this buyout figures to lower that figure.

Since Westbrook was traded from the Lakers to the Jazz on Feb. 8 as part of a three-team deal, a buyout was always the most likely conclusion. With the Jazz rebuilding, the 34-year-old veteran was unlikely to be part of franchise’s long-term plans.

Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said he had been transparent with Westbrook about what his role might be if he decided to remain in Utah. Zanik indicated Westbrook was open to the possibility."
 

"The practice started to become part of our lexicon about a decade ago when the Spurs famously employed the tactic with an aging core. Other teams have latched onto it since then, to the point that it's a widespread strategy. When Denver played the Timberwolves a few weeks ago at Target Center, the Nuggets didn't even bother to send their best players — including two-time MVP Nikola Jokic — to Minneapolis.

But a defendable medical strategy can still have bad optics. And rising Wolves star Anthony Edwards gave voice to the reason in the company of his star peers over the weekend.

"Just play, man. If you 80%, you gotta play," he said. "I don't like all the sitting, missing games stuff. These people might have enough money to come to one game. And that might be the game they come to and you sitting out."

Edwards has played all 60 games for the Wolves this season, battling through ailments along the way.


 

Kenny Smith got a very short interview with Anthony Edwards:

Kenny: "So you got basketball, football, gaming, rap, what is one thing that Ant can't do"

Anthony Edwards: "I can't beat the Wizards"


Edwards is 0-6 vs the Wiz since entering the league.
 


Minnesota Timberwolves

NAMEPOSDATESTATUSCOMMENT
Taurean PrincePFFeb 24Day-To-DayPrince is questionable for Friday's game against the Hornets due to personal reasons.
Karl-Anthony TownsCFeb 15OutThe Timberwolves are hopeful that Towns (calf) will be ready to return to the court at some point during their final "10-to-15 games" of the season, Shams Charania reported Tuesday during his "FanDuel TV" segment.

i
Charlotte Hornets

NAMEPOSDATESTATUSCOMMENT
Kelly Oubre Jr.SGFeb 23OutOubre (hand) is probable for Friday's game against the Timberwolves.
Cody MartinSFFeb 23OutMartin (knee) is listed as out Friday against Minnesota.
Terry RozierSGFeb 23Day-To-DayRozier (hand) is probable for Friday's game against the Timberwolves
 


Losing to a 17-43 team with the schedule the twolves have left is not great.
I shouldn't say this, but I'm kind of laughing today. The horrid gophers lost their 5 star recruit today, and the horrid wolves lost to this crap 17-43 team.

Everyone bend over and laugh.

I'm out.

But a few words, Ant is all flair but doesn't play winning ball. Horrid turnovers, horrid shot selection, no idea how to play position defenses, JR Rider, junior!

The more you see of Kyle Anderson, the worse he gets.

Jaden McDaniels is all the rage, but I will never get it. They constantly start him on the other teams best player and he gets torched. He's super thin which plays right into our complete lack of physicality.

Finch needs to be replaced.

Basketball in this state is embarrassing. Basically hopeless.
 
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That was tough to watch. 4 more turnovers than Charlotte, but in an 8 point loss they got beat at the Free Throw line. The Hornets went 25-28 from there and Minnesota went 10 for 16.

Charlotte has now won 3 in a row and Minnesota has lost 3 of their last 4.
 




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