Conventional wisdom has continually noted that a playoff series doesn’t begin until homecourt advantage shifts. By this measure, the Western Conference Finals remains without an actual turning point; yesterday’s match between the Timberwolves and Thunder gave clear indications that the best-of-seven affair won’t be easily decided. With the season hanging in the balance, the hosts didn’t merely claim victory at Target Center; they presided over a 143-101 beatdown that underscored their capacity to take the measure of the competition.
With the emphatic triumph in front of 19,112 raucous fans, the Timberwolves didn’t as much avoid a zero-to-three hole as make a definitive statement. And considering the pressure they were under heading into Game Three, it’s fair to argue that they managed to change the tone of the series entirely. They came out with a level of urgency and aggression that had been missing in their previous showings at Paycom Center; they outscored the Thunder by a whopping 20 points after the first quarter, and the lead grew every period thereafter — to 31 at the half, to 37 after three, and to 42 at the final buzzer. There was simply no letup to their assault.
Needless to say, All-NBA selection Anthony Edwards led the charge. That said, equally important to the Timberwolves’ cause was the support he received — and not just on offense from such notables as Julius Randle, who put up 24 points, and rookie revelation Terrence Shannon Jr., who added 15 to complement his match-high 30. Hust about everybody in blue and white held the fort on the other end of the floor. And so dominant were they on defense that newly minted Valuable Player awardee Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could put up no better than 14 on a decidedly mortal four-of-13 shooting from the field.
There’s still a lot of hoops to be played, so it’s too early to say the Timberwolves have found an answer to the league’s leading scorer. Nonetheless, head coach Chris Finch appeared to have latched on to something replicable: throw player after player at him, force the ball out of his hands, and clog the paint with smart and speedy rotations. It likewise helped that the bench tactician knew exactly when to call timeouts to nip potential danger in the proverbial bud, understanding that, given the faster pace and increased reliance on three-points shots in the modern era, no gap in the scores was safe.
There is, of course, still much to be done for the Timberwolves — beginning with the need to prevail once more tomorrow. Yesterday’s big win gives them momentum that they have to sustain, and the pressure shifts dramatically if they get to even the series at two games apiece. Make no mistake, however: It’s a big “if.” Forget about the shellacking; the Thunder are no pushovers, and Gilgeous-Alexander will be motivated to do much better. Which means the onus is on them to stay ready, and to keep believing in the cause.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
