Minnesota Timberwolves
The 2024-25 Minnesota Timberwolves can be defined by making it to the Western Conference Finals for a second straight year.
What did we learn?
The T-Wolves postseason run last year was no fluke.
With Julius Randle and DiVincenzo in place of KAT, they made it just as far.
This season was mostly a redux with another slow start and strong finish to the regular season.
The Wolves didn’t win as many games as last year, but behind defensive prowess and Anthony Edwards firepower, Minnesota is built for the playoffs.
Ant mastered the 3-point shot this season. Nobody else in the NBA made more 3s and he pulled it off on insane volume and a very good percentage. Legit 10 3-point attempts a game and 39.5 percent.
Honestly, Ant might have fallen in love with the 3 a little too much. A more versatile and diverse game is required to make it past OKC’s vaunted defense that stifled him in the West Finals.
Before running into OKC who storm walled the entire team, Julius Randle changed his playoff narrative. Previously a post-season dud, Randle flipped the script and excelled, dominating both the Lakers and Warriors in the first and second round.
Randle didn’t shy away from the moment. You could see he relished it. Excited to go at LeBron. Thrilled to take it to Draymond.
Jalen McDaniels also took his game to a level we hadn’t seen from him before in the first and second round. McDaniels monster 25-point and 30-point games vs. the Lakers put the Wolves over the top.
With Randle and McDaniels, Ant had real weapons to work with, and behind the steady and reliable defense, the hungry Wolves rolled.
It was Wolves in 5 not once but twice.
Until they met OKC in the West Finals.
That’s where it became evident that Ant needs to have more in his bag, especially working off the ball. He was rightfully called out for being too disengaged when he didn’t have the ball in his hands. As the leader and superstar on the court, that is unacceptable.
Ant has been declared NEXT for so long, it’s important to remember that he’s just 23 years old. Expectations are everything.
Ant and Minnesota still have to get over that last hump to make The Finals. It hasn’t felt like they were particularly close in either penultimate series.
But in the loaded West, they have been a consistent playoff contender and performer, which is more than can be said for most.
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Additional Notes
DiVincenzo was inconsistent, somewhere between his Warriors and Knicks days. Capable of popping off and draining 3s and you also might not hear from him at all.
Gobert had a much quieter season, but for him, that is a good thing. He was still 2nd team All-Defense.
Need more from the youngin’s Rob Dillingham and Terrance Shannon. Let them loose, Chris Finch! But 37-year-old Mike Conley does deserve a shout out for ripping some 3s in the playoffs.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
We believe too much in Ant, Finch, defense and preseason shit talking. Over 52.5 wins.
T-Wolves 2024-25 record: (49-33)
Nope. The 17-17 start was too much to overcome.
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What’s Next?
It’s important to remember how the KAT trade opened up Minnesota’s financial flexibility going forward.
Julius Randle (3 years, $100 mil) and Naz Reid (5 years, $125 mil) are both back. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the only one really gone (Hawks). This is a team content to run it back again.
Develop Ant’s back-to-basket and off-the-ball game.
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Favorite T-Wolves Highlight of the 2024-25 Season:
11/25/24 Ant-Man 4.3
01/09/25 Ant-Man 4.2
The return of Power Dunk City: COMING SOON.
