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After an impressive Game 1 win, the Minnesota Timberwolves suffered a 124-96 beating from the Memphis Grizzlies in the second game of the first-round series. A strong second-half performance from Ja Morant and company allowed them to create separation and pull away with the lopsided win.
With the series now even at 1-1, the trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D'Angelo Russell must all find a way to regain their momentum with the series shifting to Minnesota. By making the necessary changes to their game plan, the team can still bounce back and retake the series lead in their coming games.
Let's take a look at three adjustments the Timberwolves must make after getting clobbered by the Grizzlies in Game 2.
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Timberwolves adjustments after Game 2 loss to Grizzlies
3. Minnesota must make more shots
This one is super basic, but it is also very true.
A key reason why the Timberwolves failed to keep in step with the Grizzlies in Game 2 was their inability to make their shots. They only converted 30-of-76 total attempts from the field for a 39.5% shooting mark, which was significantly lower than the 47.8% shooting clip by Memphis.
Minnesota also failed to find its stroke from beyond the arc after a hot Game 1, settling for a meager 28.9% shooting. Meanwhile, Memphis shot better with 32.4% shooting from long distance. Another significant shortcoming by the Timberwolves can be found in the assists department, where they only tallied a total of 16 as compared to the Grizzlies' 29. Obviously, making shots will help you tally more assists.
D'Angelo Russell needs to play better come Game 3 after dishing just four assists, while Anthony Edwards finished the tilt with only one assist. This only proves that the team failed to get the other players involved on offense, plus the fact that they were not making most of their shots from anywhere on the court.
The Timberwolves need to be sharper offensively to get their momentum back.
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2. The Timberwolves must get busier in the paint
Another factor for the Timberwolves' Game 2 loss was their lack of presence in the paint. They were easily dominated by the Grizzlies down low, scoring only 34 points in the paint as compared to their opponents' 60. Additionally, Memphis also outrebounded Minnesota, 48-40.
This ultimately falls on the shoulders of both Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid, who were outworked by the Grizzlies' big men. Not to mention that Memphis' starting center in Steven Adams only played a total of three minutes due to a decision made by Taylor Jenkins, which wound up being a smart one.
Guys like Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and Xavier Tillman all stepped up and made life harder for Minnesota's big men in Game 2. Certainly enough, failing to establish their presence in the paint hurt the Timberwolves in more ways than one, which eventually led to a lopsided loss.
Hopefully, both Towns and Reid will get to adjust better in Game 3 after seeing such a bad outcome on Tuesday night. If Jenkins is going to go away from Adams, the Timberwolves must be ready to counter against the smaller lineups.
1. Towns, Edwards, and Russell should all bounce back and take charge on offense
Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D'Angelo Russell are all expected to headline the Timberwolves' attack in every game for this year's playoff run. Unfortunately, the trio fell short in generating the numbers expected of them in Game 2.
After 36 points in Game 1, Edwards led Minnesota in scoring with just 20 points in Game 2, while Towns only came out with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Russell also had another off night with 11 points in the loss. That isn't going to get it done against the second-seeded Grizzlies.
While Memphis deserves credit for a better defensive effort, the trio must bounce back after this subpar showing in Game 2. The Timberwolves will need their main guys to play at their best if they want a good chance to steal this series against a hungry and talented team like the Memphis Grizzlies.
