The Minnesota Timberwolves now have the second-highest chance to win the Larry O'Brien trophy at 21.7%, according to ESPN. That number does not come without merit. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns torched the Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets two games in a row. Being able to do all that without their Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, makes it all the more impressive. It even prompted big statements from avid spectators like Bill Simmons.
Bill Simmons' big prediction
Pleasing a long-time fan of the league is never easy. They have seen a lot in their lifetime that they could compare to the success of current stars. The Timberwolves seem to be the exception to the rule this season. Bill Simmons outlines how big this Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns-led squad could be in the coming years.
“I think Minnesota’s going to sweep Denver. I’ve been through these a few times as a fan. And, I think this one’s done and basketball’s about to change as we know it,” he declared.
So, what aspect of this looming Timberwolves sweep could alter NBA history? Bill Simmons posits that it could put Nikola Jokic's Nuggets into a conundrum. It could be one which reshapes their whole offseason and might derail their championship hopes in the near future.
“This is the wrong time, wrong opponent, wrong season for a Jokic-Minnesota match-up, and what I'm interested in is what they would do going forward under this what-if scenario of what if Minnesota sweeps. If they get swept what does the team look like next year? What are the moves? What was wrong?” he said.
Moreover, the Timberwolves also put the Nuggets in further jeopardy because of the big threat of the Oklahoma City Thunder's rise.
“What do they do because Tim Connelly built Minnesota to beat Denver now Denver has to rebuild themselves to not only beat Minnesota but you also have OKC coming,” the pundit concluded.
Timberwolves turn the jets on
Game 2 was brutal to watch for Nuggets fans. Only Aaron Gordon was able to notch 20 points while Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray combined for a meager 24 points throughout the whole four quarters. Clearly, there will be some adjustments to come out of Mike Malone's coaching staff. But, it might be hard to execute given the momentum that the Timberwolves discovered.
Karl-Anthony Towns was big in this triumph. He was clearly the second-best player on the court and his scoring proved it. The Timberwolves' stretch big man recorded 27 points and was able to grab three rebounds. Whenever the Nuggets made the wrong choice of sending an extra defender, he made the right passes which netted him six assists.
Anthony Edwards, on the other hand, just knew how to pick apart the Nuggets defense. No coverage was able to stop him during his 37 minutes on the court. He knocked down 11 out of his 17 field goals and only missed three of his seven free throws for 27 points.
This duo will surely shatter the league for years to come.
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