Timberwolves advance to Western Conference first round

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder 120-95 within the Play-In Match on Friday, advancing to the primary spherical of the Western Convention playoffs towards the Denver Nuggets. Right here’s what it’s essential know:

• The Timberwolves safe the No. 8 seed, clinching the franchise’s eleventh playoff berth.
• Minnesota takes on the Nuggets, the No. 1 seed within the West, on Sunday at 10:30 p.m. ET in Denver.
• Karl-Anthony Cities led the Timberwolves with 28 factors, 11 rebounds, three assists and three blocks, taking pictures 11-of-16 from the sphere.

The Athletic’s prompt evaluation:

What this implies for Timberwolves

This season has been a grind for the Timberwolves, full of damage, sickness and a near-constant battle to adapt to including Rudy Gobert to the roster. Whereas they anticipated to complete a lot increased within the West, making the playoffs is notable as a result of it’s the first time since 2004 that they’ve certified for the postseason in back-to-back years.

It’s been laborious, it’s been irritating, and it’s been ugly at occasions. However they’ve survived it and now will open a sequence in Denver on Sunday evening. Nothing has been straightforward for them, however they’re within the playoffs they usually have an opportunity. They are going to take it.

With Cities taking part in a few of his finest basketball, Anthony Edwards coming again into rhythm after some accidents and Gobert away from the again points, they are going to go into the sequence as large underdogs, however with loads of confidence. — Krawcyznski

How Minnesota bought the win

This recreation was billed as large vs. small, with the Wolves two 7-footers up entrance towards an OKC group that likes to go actually small. The Wolves wanted to punish the Thunder within the paint, and  Cities did precisely that. With out anybody over 6-7 to protect him, Cities went to work all evening.

He scored 28 factors on 11-for-16 taking pictures and grabbed 11 rebounds. He was additionally a part of a Wolves protection that made it exceedingly tough for the Thunder to get something close to the rim. Sure, Oklahoma Metropolis missed some attractiveness, however many had been rushed due to the presence of Cities and Gobert there.

For Cities, it was a pleasant bounce again after going scoreless within the fourth quarter and extra time of their loss to the Lakers within the first Play-In recreation. The Wolves want all of that and extra going into the playoffs. — Krawcyznski

Gobert’s first recreation again from suspension

All eyes had been on Gobert, who got here again from a suspension for punching Kyle Anderson throughout the common season finale. He performed like he was decided to atone for that mistake. Gobert had 21 factors, 10 rebounds and bought the gang on its ft when he unveiled a behind-the-back dribble and end close to the tip of the third quarter.

The Thunder fouled him incessantly, unable to matchup along with his measurement. He made 9-of-14 foul pictures, and even heard chants “Rudy! Rudy!” from a house crowd that has typically gritted its collective enamel with him for a lot of the season. — Krawcyznski

How Timberwolves match up with Nuggets

The Wolves now head to Denver to face the Nuggets within the first spherical of the playoffs, one other sequence simply dripping with backstory.

The Timberwolves lured Nuggets president Tim Connelly away from Denver final summer time. There have been some laborious emotions from the Nuggets on the way in which all of it went down, however Connelly nonetheless has many mates within the group.

He has skilled a polarizing first season in Minnesota, getting closely criticized for the worth he paid for Gobert, but additionally deserves appreciable credit score for 2 massively useful strikes. His signing of Anderson in free company was probably the greatest free agent additions in group historical past.

And on the deadline, he flipped D’Angelo Russell, who was not going to be retained subsequent season, for Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and three second-round picks. Alexander-Walker hounded his cousin, Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, all evening and Conley has been the right set off man for the Wolves at level guard. — Krawcyznski

Backstory

All-Star Edwards chipped in one other double-double with 19 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Minnesota shot 51.8 p.c from the sphere and 40.6 from the 3-point line and had a transparent benefit within the paint. The Timberwolves managed 58 factors within the paint to the Thunder’s 30.

Gilgeous-Alexander struggled along with his shot, going simply 5-of-19 from the sphere. The 24-year-old nonetheless managed to shoot an ideal 12-for-12 from the free-throw line, tallying 22 factors, seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks. He additionally briefly left the courtroom after catching a Gobert elbow to the face within the third quarter however returned shortly after.

The Thunder completed the common season with a 40-42 report. — Krawcyznski

Required studying

(Photograph: Matt Krohn / USA Right now)