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Source: https://www.canishoopus.com/rss/index.xml

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<title type="text">Canis Hoopus</title>
<subtitle type="text">Your best source for quality Minnesota Timberwolves news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan perspective.</subtitle>
<updated>2025-08-22T06:46:59+00:00</updated>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com" />
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<entry>
<author>
<name>Derek Hanson</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[43 Reasons to Love the Timberwolves]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-analysis/60894/43-reasons-to-love-the-timberwolves" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60894</id>
<updated>2025-08-22T02:46:59-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-22T02:46:59-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Timberwolves Analysis" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Today yours truly turns the ripe old age of 43 (aka “old man” status on the internet). One of the defining parts of my four-plus decades? My Minnesota Timberwolves fandom. So in honor of my birthday, here are 43 reasons why I’m still here, still howling, and still convinced this cursed/blessed franchise is worth every […]]]></summary>
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Today yours truly turns the ripe old age of 43 (aka “old man” status on the internet). One of the defining parts of my four-plus decades? My Minnesota Timberwolves fandom. So in honor of my birthday, here are 43 reasons why I’m still here, still howling, and still convinced this cursed/blessed franchise is worth every ounce of loyalty.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Current Wolves</h2>
1. Anthony Edwards What else needs to be said? Ant has gone from “maybe he should’ve gone behind LaMelo?” to “is he about to be the face of the league?” in five years. He’s a generational star who made us believe again, snapped a 20-year playoff drought, and is one of the few guys in the NBA who could carry a Finals someday. Watching him grow up here has been a gift.
2 Words. Naz Reid. Undrafted. Beloved. A cult hero turned cornerstone with a brand-new five-year contract. The Naz Reid towel waves have become as iconic as “KG headbutting the stanchion.” Few things make me smile more than Big Jelly splashing a three.
3. Rudy Gobert Yes, the guy everyone outside Minnesota loves to hate. But Wolves fans? We get it. He anchors everything. Without him, the defense falls apart. With him, we’ve made back-to-back West Finals. That trade everyone mocked? Kinda worked out.
4. Mike Conley “Old Man Conley” is our steady hand. The vet presence every contender needs, and a guy who is still running playoff offenses at age 37.
5. Jaden “Treacherous” McDaniels The defensive terror. The mean mug. The guy you trust to make Luka or Booker’s life miserable. If Jaden ever cracks a smile, you know something historic just happened.
6. Julius Randle Remember the skeptics after the KAT trade? Randle shut them up in the playoffs. A bruiser who embraced the moment and gave us real muscle. I’m very much looking forward to Year 2 of “Big Julius”.
7. Terrence Shannon Jr. Unheralded rookie turned “Wait, is this guy a future sixth man of the year?” prospect. TSJ has already shown flashes of being a game-changer off the bench. I have high expectations for this to be his breakout year.
8. Joan Beringer Call him “Mini Rudy.” A rookie big man with defensive instincts and upside that make you believe Tim Connelly actually pulled a heist with the KAT deal. Might not be a mega star, but could be the glue piece in the next Wolves era.
9. Chris Finch The winningest coach in Wolves playoff history. Two straight trips to the conference finals. And the rare NBA coach who seems genuinely liked by his players.
10. A-Rod and Marc Lore Say what you want about the ownership drama, but A-Rod and Lore injected money, ambition, and swagger into this franchise. It finally feels like a team with a plan.
11. Michael Grady and Jim Petersen Best broadcast duo in the league. Grady’s smooth play-by-play with JP’s insight? That’s appointment listening.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Past Players</h2>
12. Kevin Garnett The Big Ticket. The reason most of us stuck through the ‘90s. The original alpha. He carried an entire franchise on his back and gave us our first real era of relevance. 13. Stephon Marbury For a fleeting moment, the KG/Marbury duo felt like the future of the NBA. Didn’t work out, but man, it was fun to dream.
14. Anthony Peeler Throwback to 1998. He caught fire and briefly made us believe we could actually do playoff damage. That mattered.
15. Wally Szczerbiak The original pretty-boy shooter. Wally World was fun. A smooth jumper, an All-Star nod, and the best sidekick KG ever had (until Cassell showed up).
16. Malik Sealy Gone too soon. The only retired Wolves number besides KG’s eventual 21. Losing him hurt. Over 20 years later, he is still not forgotten.
17. Troy Hudson For a few magical spring days, T-Hud became the Lakers killer. And yes, we still laugh about the rap career.
18 & 19. Sam Cassell & Latrell Sprewell The “other” membes Big Three with KG. That 2004 run doesn’t happen without Sam’s clutch shot-making or Spree’s fire. Things didn’t end well, but the duo still gave us one season of magic.
20. Flip Saunders The coach of my formative Wolves years. Eight straight playoff trips. Beloved by players and fans alike. Losing him was heartbreaking.
21. Mark Madsen Yes, Mad Dog gets a spot. A glue guy, a character, and one of those guys every fanbase quietly loves. I had the pleasure of meeting Mark at the NBA Combine in 2014 and he could not have been nicer. It’s one of those things that sticks with you as a fan.
22. Kevin Love Before Ant, before KAT, we had Love putting up 20/20 games and keeping the Wolves relevant in dark years. He deserved better here.
23. Karl-Anthony Towns Drafting KAT in 2015 restarted the franchise. Loyalty, numbers, All-Star appearances. His era ended, but he’ll always be remembered as a franchise pillar.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Team Features</h2>
24. The Old School Logo That original wolf head hooked me as a seven-year-old. Still iconic.
25. The Black Trees Jerseys Nothing screams ‘90s like those jagged pine tree trims. KG made them immortal. And seeing Ant rock them now? Perfect.
26. Target Center It’s not glamorous, but it’s ours. Great location, great memories.
27. Crunch the Mascot Top-tier NBA mascot. Fight me.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Moments as a Fan</h2>
28. First Playoff Appearance (1996) Even getting swept by Houston felt huge. We had arrived.
29. Pat Bev’s Play-in Celebration (2022) Jumping on the scorer’s table like KG 2.0 after the play-in win. Outsiders mocked it, but for Wolves fans, it was cathartic.
30. KG’s Return (2015) Bittersweet but beautiful. Seeing him back in Wolves colors mattered.
31. My First Wolves Playoff Hype Video (2003) Yes, I made a hype video set to Lose Yourself. Yes, it played on the Target Center jumbotron. Peak fan life.
32. My Second Hype Video (2004) This one got me flown to Minnesota for Game 1 of the Nuggets series. Watching a video that I spent hours working on in my dorm room getting played on the big screen in Target Center was surreal.
33. First Home Playoff Game (2004) Finally being there in person to watch the Wolves stomp Denver in the playoffs. A personal apex as a fan.
34. Return to Target Center (2024) Twenty years later, still undefeated in the building. The Wolves faced the Nuggets again and overcame a 10-point deficit to steal the game in the final seconds.
35. KG Wins a Title (2008) Not in Wolves colors, but still cathartic. “Anything is possible!”
36. Beating Denver in 2004 (Round 1) Finally getting out of the first round after seven tries. Relief doesn’t even cover it.
37. Game 7 vs. the Kings (2004) Weber vs. KG. Win or go home. KG on the scorer’s table. Legendary.
38. Sweeping Phoenix (2024) Ant taking down KD, his childhood idol. Our first sweep ever. A playoff series win after a 20 year drought. Delicious.
39. Game 7 in Denver (2024) Maybe the greatest Wolves win ever. 20-point comeback. Jokic dethroned. Pure madness.
40. Beating the Lakers (2025) Finally slaying the Laker dragon. In person for it, no less. One of my personal all-timers.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wolves Online & Community</h2>
41. TWolves Central Forums The hangout spot in the early 2000’s. A lifeline for an East Coast Wolves fan.
42. T-Wolves Blog My own little corner of Wolves internet in the mid-2000s. Irreverent, chaotic, fun.
43. Canis Hoopus The site that became home base for Wolves fandom. Writers, commenters, community—it’s been a privilege to spend the past year chronicling the ups and downs of life as a Wolves fan with you all. 
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wrapping It Up</h2>
Through 36 years of highs, lows, heartbreak, and joy, this team has been a defining part of my sports life. So here’s to 43 years on this planet, and maybe—just maybe—seeing the Wolves raise that first Larry O’Brien soon
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Ryan Eichten</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Dream 75, Lynx 73: First Losing Streak of the Season]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/lynx-scores-results/60885/dream-vs-lynx-wnba-final-score-game-recap-losing-streak" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60885</id>
<updated>2025-08-21T22:23:57-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-21T22:23:57-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Lynx Scores" /><category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Minnesota Lynx" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Here comes the final stretch of the WNBA season. With only ten games left in the season, the Minnesota Lynx looked to put a dagger in the race to the number one seed as they took on the second-place Atlanta Dream on Thursday night. It was the Lynx’s fifth straight game without Napheesa Collier, who […]]]></summary>
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Here comes the final stretch of the WNBA season. With only ten games left in the season, the Minnesota Lynx looked to put a dagger in the race to the number one seed as they took on the second-place Atlanta Dream on Thursday night.
It was the Lynx’s fifth straight game without Napheesa Collier, who was upgraded from doubtful to questionable before the game before eventually being ruled out. The new pregame injury designation may point to this being her final game on the injury list, but Lynx fans will have to wait to see on that.
The game started strong for Bridget Carleton, for scored the Lynx’s first eight points of the game, including a pair of 3-pointers. She had been struggling the past few games, so seeing the ball go through the basket in this game can hopefully get her season back on track.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">3 FOR 3. 😤 <a href="https://t.co/UZslNEbUDf">pic.twitter.com/UZslNEbUDf</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1958675903245852958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Lynx were able to build a nine-point first-quarter lead before their offense hit a complete roadblock for the remainder of the quarter. The Lynx would turn the ball over a total of 13 times in the first half, matching their season average for a full game this season.
The drought led to a 15-0 run by Atlanta that put Minnesota down by six. The Lynx were finally able to start controlling the basketball, but it was not enough to retake the lead before halftime as they trailed 42-40 at the break.
The improved play continued through the third quarter, where the Lynx outscored the Dream 20-12 in the frame to take a six-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">That was TUFF 😮‍💨 Jessica Shepard nails the jumper to give the Lynx the lead! MIN-ATL | League Pass <a href="https://t.co/UHwExQke12">pic.twitter.com/UHwExQke12</a>— WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1958695682618872001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Unfortunately, just like the first half, the Dream went on another extended run, scoring the first 12 points of the fourth quarter. The Lynx were held scoreless for more than six minutes at the start of the quarter. The backbreaker for the Lynx came a minute and a half left when, after an offensive rebound, Rhyne Howard knocked down a 3-pointer to extend the Dream’s lead from two to five.
The Lynx didn’t go down without a fight, though. With less than a minute left, Alanna Smith put in a corner 3-pointer to cut the deficit back down to two. On the next possession, the Lynx forced an eight-second violation, but were unable to capitalize as Smith missed a layup that would have tied the game.
The Lynx forced another eight-second violation with 12 seconds, but again could not tie the game as the game-tying layup slipped out of Courtney Williams’ hand. The Lynx retained possession after the shot, but the ball again slipped out of Williams’ grasp for the game-ending turnover as the Lynx lost 75-73.
Williams had possibly the worst game of her season, scoring just six points on 3-14 shooting, along with five turnovers. Court has had an incredible season this year, but this was one for her to forget. Carleton led the Lynx with 16 points, her season high. She put in four 3-pointers to go along with six rebounds.
The Lynx won their first three games without Collier, but now have lost two straight for the first time this season. They still maintain a 5.5-game lead over the Dream for first place in the WNBA, needing to win just four of their final nine games to clinch the top seed.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Up Next</h3>
The Lynx now head out on their final back-to-back of the season as they take on the Indiana Fever tomorrow night at 6:30 PM CT on ION Television. It is the first of two games against Indiana as they return home on Sunday to play the Fever again, this time at Target Center.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Highlights</h3>
<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe title="Minnesota Lynx vs. Atlanta Dream | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | August 21, 2025" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a-dZv_yuoCs?rel=0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div>
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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Leo Sun</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Liberty 85, Lynx 75: New York Free From Three]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/minnesota-lynx/60857/wnba-final-score-new-york-liberty-minnesota-lynx-sabrina-ionescu-courtney-williams-jonquel-jones" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/60857/lynx-recap-test</id>
<updated>2025-08-20T12:32:20-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-19T21:01:54-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Lynx Scores" /><category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Minnesota Lynx" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Game Story The Minnesota Lynx rode into Barclays Arena winners of six games in a row. This included two straight against the New York Liberty, both teams missing their best player. Not much would change entering their third match in just 10 days, as both Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart were still sidelined. The former, […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="MrCYPE">Game Story</h3>
The <a href="https://www.canishoopus.com/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Lynx</a> rode into Barclays Arena winners of six games in a row. This included two straight against the <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty">New York Liberty</a>, both teams missing their best player. Not much would change entering their third match in just 10 days, as both Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart were still sidelined. The former, and rightful front-runner for Most Valuable Player, continued to inch closer to game action though, as she was ruled out just hours before tipoff.
Minnesota had little to nothing to prove in this game.
They certainly played like it in the first quarter.
It took less than five minutes of game action for the home team to march out to a 10-point advantage. Jonquel Jones was sharp, scoring seven of her team’s first 12 points. They peppered the Lynx both inside and out. A four of 10 mark from perimeter was coupled with a 14 to six rebounding advantage in the opening stanza. However, as we’ve come to know from this Lynx team, they refused to acquiesce.
Super sub, Natisha Hiedeman spearheaded a late 8-0 Minnesota rally to keep the score close at the end of the first quarter. This carried over into the second, where their defense stepped up to force a slew of New York turnovers.
(If you are reading this on Apple News, please <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/e/60857">click here</a> so you can view embedded videos important to the analysis and enjoy the best overall reading experience.)
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-bluesky-social wp-block-embed-bluesky-social"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:pbm7gacv5473mx7u5ikukbbs/app.bsky.feed.post/3lws2mh7yuk2a" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreihqs2yaub2krwpf4ipi4amkuocclbdkbg6t2ht6soj55ygfiolvqi">The drives from Natisha Hiedeman have been so fun this season.A nice pair in the 1Q vs the Liberty tonight already.— <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:pbm7gacv5473mx7u5ikukbbs?ref_src=embed">Jonah Maves (@hunchojman.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:pbm7gacv5473mx7u5ikukbbs/post/3lws2mh7yuk2a?ref_src=embed">2025-08-19T23:23:29.459Z</a></blockquote>
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Dijonai Carrington was excellent off the bench, posting a team-best +6 in the first half. Unfortunately, her efforts wouldn’t be enough as the Liberty uncorked a bevy of triples. Sabrina Ionescu and the aforementioned Jones combined to go four of five from beyond the arc in the second period while the Lynx went zero for seven as a team. This allowed New York to easily storm back ahead by double digits.
It felt like the Liberty just kept landing haymaker after haymaker. For every Minnesota bucket, New York seemed to respond with a triple. Every trey seemed to cut deeper and deeper, considering how the Lynx went through an 0 for 11 stretch from beyond the arc. It wasn’t until Courtney Williams hit a triple at the end of the third period, somehow bringing the Lynx within 60-66 after a dreadful third period.
As New York continued to bomb away from perimeter, Minnesota held steady and scrapped their way to within 75-79 and less than two minutes remaining. Williams, who had started to heat up, missed two crucial mid-range jumpers before Ionescu sealed the game with, you guessed it, a three pointer. Not only was she fouled on the make, it was upgraded to a flagrant foul on a reckless closeout by Maria Kliundikova.
A six-point possession with under a minute left in the game was not ideal for the Lynx.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-bluesky-social wp-block-embed-bluesky-social"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:4vziktoq7p6jd3i5l3wtmfab/app.bsky.feed.post/3lws7kw62hs2k" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreihjdyedwincu4yjhz32ppld63vkeygeyo2jtggrrrae5nbugqsjiu">Huge long three from Sabrina makes it a 7 point game— <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4vziktoq7p6jd3i5l3wtmfab?ref_src=embed">CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4vziktoq7p6jd3i5l3wtmfab/post/3lws7kw62hs2k?ref_src=embed">2025-08-20T00:52:06.724Z</a></blockquote>
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The New York faithful had reason to celebrate, avoiding a season sweep. They ultimately shot an impressive 13 of 32 from beyond the arc. Minnesota, the most accurate three-point shooting team in the league, went 6 of 22. The Lynx bench came to play though, with three players scoring in double digits. Unfortunately, the starters just could not get it done. Only Williams scored in double digits.
The Lynx will live to fight another day, as Collier’s return is just around the corner, with a 6.0 game lead on first place to boot.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity" />
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="Cf2TZO">Highlights</h3>
<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe title="Minnesota Lynx Fall To The New York Liberty In Their 4th And Final Match Up | 08.19.25" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qBI5ifSF4C8?rel=0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="ymoOfG">Box Score</h3>
<img src="https://platform.canishoopus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/58/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-19-175738.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="JfedQ7">Up Next</h3>
The Lynx fly out soon for stop number two on their three game trip. They visit the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, August 21st at 6:30 PM CT. This will be their final game against the surging two-seed in the league.
In their first meeting, Minnesota snuck by with a four-point overtime victory at Atlanta, but they were repaid the favor as the Dream went to Target Center and snapped the Lynx 14-game win streak by just four points as well.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-bluesky-social wp-block-embed-bluesky-social"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:7giugsiydb7mj2j3a5u6nuyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3luyh674xik2u" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreia75db4nzxc7zs3jptd55obohk5dkytcrfroysdt47aokdd5uahuy">Dream 90, Lynx 86: Undefeated Home Record SnappedMinnesota’s fell into an early 14-point hole and despite another inhuman performance by Napheesa Collier & a wild final minute of the game, they couldn’t quite battle back.@yoleo.bsky.social recaps the action ⤵️www.canishoopus.com/2025/7/27/24…— <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7giugsiydb7mj2j3a5u6nuyn?ref_src=embed">Canis Hoopus (@canishoopus.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7giugsiydb7mj2j3a5u6nuyn/post/3luyh674xik2u?ref_src=embed">2025-07-28T01:33:45.026Z</a></blockquote>
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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Ryan Eichten</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Lynx 86, Liberty 80: Minnesota Just Keeps on Winning]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/lynx-scores-results/60823/lynx-vs-liberty-wnba-final-score-game-recap-courtney-williams" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60823</id>
<updated>2025-08-16T18:22:43-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-16T17:03:21-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Lynx Scores" /><category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Minnesota Lynx" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[After nearly a full week off since their last game, the Minnesota Lynx were finally back in action Saturday afternoon at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. For the second straight game, they matched up against the New York Liberty, looking to grow their 6.5-game lead atop the WNBA standings. Each team was again missing a […]]]></summary>
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After nearly a full week off since their last game, the <a href="http://canishoopus.com" data-type="link" data-id="canishoopus.com">Minnesota Lynx</a> were finally back in action Saturday afternoon at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. For the second straight game, they matched up against the <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty">New York Liberty</a>, looking to grow their 6.5-game lead atop the WNBA standings.
Each team was again missing a key player as both Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart did not play in the game. The Lynx did get good news regarding Collier’s ankle injury, as she was listed as doubtful on the injury report, which may mean her return to the court is right around the corner.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Coach Reeve during pregame touched on Napheesa Collier’s status report as DOUBTFUL that she’s “unlikely to go today” but a sign from Phee and training staff that “she’s getting pretty close.”— Terry Horstman (@terryhorstman) <a href="https://twitter.com/terryhorstman/status/1956756254443151705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Lynx defense to start the game was outstanding, making every rotation flawlessly and allowing very few, if any, easy shots for the Liberty. The Lynx forced misses on 13 of the Liberty’s first 18 shots, along with forcing four turnovers.
Early in the second quarter, Minnesota took its largest lead of the first half at 15 points after a forced turnover and a “StudBudz” assist of Natisha Hiedeman to Courtney Williams in transition.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">twin telepathy. 👯 <a href="https://t.co/Uccx0wZ0Ft">pic.twitter.com/Uccx0wZ0Ft</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1956788093052133887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The game flipped on its head midway through the second quarter. Right as the Liberty’s offense was starting to find its groove, the Lynx offense went on an extended cold streak, missing 14 of their next 17 shots while turning it over seven times along the way.
The result was a 31-11 Liberty run over about 12 minutes of play that took the sizeable Lynx lead and turned it into a 5-point deficit early in the third quarter. The defense in the third quarter was equally an issue as they forced only six stops of New York the entire frame.
The Lynx were able to get themselves back into the game, going on a 9-4 run, including six points from Alanna Smith, to tie the game up at 71-71 with less than six minutes left in the game.
As it often does with these two teams, the game remained close down the stretch. With less than two minutes left and the Lynx down one, Williams got into the lane with a pretty step-through move to give the Lynx their first lead of the second half. As it often does with these two teams, the game remained close down the stretch. With less than two minutes left and the Lynx down one, Williams got into the lane with a pretty step-through move to give the Lynx their first lead of the second half.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">let 'em know Court. 😤 <a href="https://t.co/jMfualp4j1">pic.twitter.com/jMfualp4j1</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1956809136026390547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Next came the dagger.
With a little more than 30 seconds left, Kayla McBride knocked down a wide-open 3-pointer to put the Lynx up by four points. Target Center exploded when the ball went through the hoop, as fans went into a euphoric state with HOT TO GO playing over the speakers during the subsequent timeout.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">MAC makes it happen. <a href="https://t.co/HOJ3f9I6FO">pic.twitter.com/HOJ3f9I6FO</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1956810671347163231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Lynx went on to win by a final score of 86-80. Minnesota now leads New York by eight games in the loss column, clinching the tiebreaker with today’s win. Their lead over the Atlanta Dream, who are currently in second place, stands at seven games, with the Lynx needing just five more wins to clinch the number one seed.
Williams was sensational in this one, controlling the Lynx offense from start to finish. She led all players with 26 points on 10-18 shooting, including three 3-pointers, to go along with five rebounds and five assists. McBride and Jessica Shepard, who has joined the starting lineup in Collier’s absence, each scored 17 points.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Key Takeaway</h3>
The win for the Lynx was their sixth straight and fourth in a row without Collier since she injured her ankle two weeks ago against the Las Vegas Aces. They’ve taken a commanding lead at the top of the standings despite playing without their best player, something that other teams, specifically the Liberty, have not been able to do.
Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve spoke after the game about the importance of playing well and winning games while Collier is out of the lineup.
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“When we were in Vegas, at that time, we had the toughest schedule remaining or at least one or two of the toughest schedules. And so to do this, in the stretch that we’re playing against really good teams, I’m super proud of us. I’m super proud of those that had Phee’s back because it makes Phee feel better.”
</blockquote>
When Collier went down, the Lynx could have gone on autopilot, just winning games here and there, knowing they had enough wins in the bank to keep in front of the rest league until Phee got back. Instead, all they’ve done is just kept winning and doing it against some of the other top teams in the WNBA.
That resilience, along with Minnesota’s 28-5 record, shows just how special this team is and that the bar for success the rest of this season is incredibly high. Reeve gave her thoughts about those expectations on the podium postgame.
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“We’ve got it. I can’t guarantee that we’re going to win a championship, but having been around a lot of high-quality teams, we have the special things those teams had.”
</blockquote>
Not all wins are built the same. Sure, they all count for the same in the standings, but emotionally, anyone can tell that today’s victory and the other two against the Liberty just mean more to this Lynx team.
Last year in the WNBA Finals, the Lynx came as close to winning a championship without actually doing so as a team can get. The loss came with controversy and frustration. The anger from that series still lingers. Even a year later, the Lynx’s feelings about the Liberty from that series have not changed.
After the game, Williams shared her feelings about the rivalry with the Lynx and the trash-talking that can go back and forth during the game.
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“They know we don’t like them. The same way they don’t like us. I mean, I would think they don’t like us, so it’s like, I’m gonna talk. It’s not gonna change. I don’t care if they like our team. They shouldn’t like our team cause we don’t like their team. Like, we know that they gonna come out and give us their best punch, same way we will. So for me talking trash didn’t change nothing. Whatever.”
</blockquote>
Williams elaborated that the feelings of dislike are only on the court and not personal, but the message is clear. The Lynx don’t like the Liberty, and the feeling is likely mutual. The Lynx only have one goal now: to win the championship. If a rematch of last year’s WNBA Finals were to occur during this year’s playoffs, one thing is clear: the Lynx believe with every bone in their body they are the better team.
And at least from what we’ve seen during the regular season, they’re right.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Up Next</h3>
For the third straight game, the Lynx take on the Liberty, this time back in New York. The game on Tuesday, August 19, will tip off at 6:00 PM CT, airing on FanDuel Sports Network along with NBA TV.
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Highlights</h3>
<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe title="Minnesota Lynx vs. New York Liberty | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | August 16, 2025" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/on-laEusdFU?rel=0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div>
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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Ryan Eichten</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[The Good and the Bad of the Timberwolves 2025-26 Schedule]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-analysis/60805/timberwolves-schedule-regular-season-schedule-breakdown" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60805</id>
<updated>2025-08-15T11:23:35-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-15T12:00:00-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Timberwolves Analysis" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The start of the season is right around the corner. On Thursday, the Minnesota Timberwolves, along with the rest of the NBA, released their full schedule for the 2025-26 regular season. The Wolves are featured on many of the premier dates on the NBA calendar, including the first pair of games broadcast by Amazon Prime […]]]></summary>
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The start of the season is right around the corner.
On Thursday, the <a href="http://canishoopus.com" data-type="link" data-id="canishoopus.com">Minnesota Timberwolves</a>, along with the rest of the NBA, released their full schedule for the 2025-26 regular season. The Wolves are featured on many of the premier dates on the NBA calendar, including the first pair of games broadcast by Amazon Prime on October 24 against the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a>, Christmas Day against the Denver Nuggets, and an NBA Rivals Week matchup with the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> on January 24.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">it’s almost that time. 🐺 <a href="https://t.co/2pveEDde9Y">pic.twitter.com/2pveEDde9Y</a>— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1956082794905678085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In total, the Wolves are on national TV 28 times this season, including seven games on ESPN, seven on Amazon Prime, six on NBC, four on ABC, and four on Peacock. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks have more nationally televised games, with each team having 34.
The Timberwolves have seen their share of national TV games increase each of the past two seasons, coinciding with their playoff success and the emergence of Anthony Edwards as one of the best players in the league. Last season, they had the 10th most games on national TV, and the year before that, they were all the way down in 20th with only ten total games on the national stage.
The Wolves playing on Christmas Day for the second straight season is especially notable, as it was not that long ago that the idea of the Wolves playing on Christmas would have seemed far-fetched. Now they are set up to be a mainstay on the holiday.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 25) for the 18th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup. <a href="https://t.co/GjmfyljacD">pic.twitter.com/GjmfyljacD</a>— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1955239039176487366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The added national TV games do come with one main downside for Wolves fans in the central and eastern time zones. The Timberwolves play 17 games that begin at 8:30 PM CT or later, including two that start at 10:00 PM CT out on the West Coast. Six of those late-night games take place at Target Center.
In terms of travel, the Wolves’ schedule looks somewhat favorable. The Wolves rank tenth in total miles traveled throughout the season, down from second last season and third the year before that. It is their lowest miles traveled ranking in an 82-game NBA season since 2018-19.
The Wolves are also tied for the fewest number of back-to-backs, with only 13. Most teams have either 14 or 15, with some teams playing as many as 16 of these quick turnaround games. On the flip side, the Wolves also play the fewest number of opponents on the second night of a back-to-back, with only 11 such matchups.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">NBA released the 2025-26 schedule which means we can look at how often teams are playing back-to-backs vs. how often they're *facing* an opponent that's on a b2b opponent b2bs are ~equally important, but are not distributed as evenly as team b2bs <a href="https://t.co/NxVzsfAh2t">pic.twitter.com/NxVzsfAh2t</a>— Owen Phillips (@owenlhjphillips) <a href="https://twitter.com/owenlhjphillips/status/1956105835979137509?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In total, the Wolves have the rest advantage in 10 of their games, while having the rest disadvantage in 12 games. While being at a rest disadvantage an extra two times is not ideal, it is a welcome trade-off compared to other teams who have to travel more and play more back-to-backs.
With strength of opponent, each Western Conference team’s schedule is going to be fairly balanced, as no team gains a significant advantage from who they play.
At what point in the season you play a certain team can make a big difference. For the Wolves, October through December projects to be the easiest part of their schedule, with the difficulty peaking in January, with both the strength of opponent and travel hitting the team hardest right after New Year’s.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Some quick schedule math with the Wolves using each team's Vegas over/under win total to project strength of schedule January is by far their toughest stretch3 in terms of both quality of opponent and travel. The first couple months of the season are the easiest part. <a href="https://t.co/yx4807KMw6">pic.twitter.com/yx4807KMw6</a>— Ryan Eichten (@REichten) <a href="https://twitter.com/REichten/status/1956150283584581768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
With the schedule finally released, Wolves fans can finally start to see the light at the end of the offseason tunnel. The doldrums of August will be over soon enough, and in a little over a month, before training camp starts and the long journey that is the NBA will begin.
Until then, we wait until Wednesday, October 22, when the Timberwolves open their season on the road against the <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a>.
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Andrew Carlson</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[This Offseason is Boring, and That’s a Good Thing.]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-analysis/60748/nba-minnesota-timberwolves-offseason-tim-connelly-chris-finch-anthony-edwards-julius-randle" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60748</id>
<updated>2025-08-14T20:29:38-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-14T20:29:38-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Timberwolves Analysis" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Ever get that anxious feeling that something needs to be happening in order for things to feel normal, even though normal may mean that nothing needs to happen at all? You either answered yes or no to that question. If you answered yes, then let’s dive into the Minnesota Timberwolves offseason, one of the most […]]]></summary>
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Ever get that anxious feeling that something needs to be happening in order for things to feel normal, even though normal may mean that nothing needs to happen at all?
You either answered yes or no to that question. If you answered yes, then let’s dive into the <a href="https://www.canishoopus.com/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> offseason, one of the most boring entities of Wolves lore in franchise history. If no, then humor my manifesto for a few more words (unless I’ve already lost you).
The idea of boring gets such a negative connotation. Maybe sometimes a slow two-step on the dancefloor is better than the shopping cart. Sometimes potato chips are better than caviar. In this specific instance, I’ll make the case for the slow two-step and a handful of potato chips, because success doesn’t always come in the form of fireworks, offseason fanfare, and a domination of the ESPN ticker.
After racking my brain, the top Timberwolves specific storylines over the summer would be:
<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>The formal transfer of ownership to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez</li>
<li>The Minnesota Lynx are the best basketball team ever assembled</li>
<li>Julius Randle and Naz Reid extended to multi-year contracts</li>
<li>Kevin Durant…doesn’t like the cold?</li>
<li>Joan Beringer’s Summer League debut and Terrence Shannon Jr’s domination of Las Vegas</li>
</ol>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Joan Beringer steal, outstanding PnR defense <a href="https://t.co/06qI5yZbh2">pic.twitter.com/06qI5yZbh2</a>— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) <a href="https://twitter.com/WolvesClips/status/1945243367891173459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Now granted, if number four ended up materializing, this post doesn’t get written. That would mean for the third time in just four offseasons, a jarring move to the roster would have been made that would likely have a drastic impact on jersey sales and all that comes with the business side of the team.
But it didn’t.
This offseason, we had none of the following:
<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>The President of Basketball Operations getting fired in late September</li>
<li>An All-NBA player berating the young franchise player en route to one of the loudest trade requests in NBA history</li>
<li>Said franchise player getting traded just six years later, and less than 48 hours before the ensuing training camp</li>
<li>Five first round picks getting traded for a center that would need a seismic change in the team’s scheme at the time</li>
<li>An elongated offseason due to a pandemic that would eventually result in the future of the franchise getting drafted during a November NBA draft</li>
</ol>
Not all of those things are negative, but they’re all significant. Something to start a conversation with, text your friends about, talk your significant other’s ear off about, whatever. This offseason hasn’t been that. That’s ok. What does it signal?
Continuity.
In fact, the best and most successful organization across the league have historically been boring.
Are the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> a wild bunch? Are the Indiana Pacers a reality TV show? Do the Oklahoma City Thunder have a flair for the dramatic? They barely drank a half bottle of champagne after winning the NBA title! Even for an up-and-coming team, I’m sure the <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> led by a chess-playing, Shaolin Temple retreat-taking big man won’t need a Bravo show.
For the Timberwolves, the vision of continuity dates back well before 2025.
“It’s all about the fans in Minnesota. They deserve a winner,” new co-owner Alex Rodriguez told the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34238895/alex-rodriguez-says-there-lot-excited-minnesota-timberwolves-fans" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34238895/alex-rodriguez-says-there-lot-excited-minnesota-timberwolves-fans">Associated Press in 2022</a>. “They deserve consistency, they deserve continuity…and I think across the board, we’ve seen that. There’s a lot to be excited about. When you forecast predictability, it’s good for the energy of the town.”
And in 2025?
“It’s our intention to keep everyone here,” Head Coach Chris Finch asserted at exit interviews.
Keep everyone here they did.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Chris Finch on making it to the WCF again "The challenge we laid down to our guys from day 1 was quite simple. 1 question. Were you a WCF team? or Were you a team that just happened to make the WCF? And there's only one way to prove that. Go out and do it again." <a href="https://t.co/4PNnmz1VlS">pic.twitter.com/4PNnmz1VlS</a>— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Huncho_Jman/status/1922872720565445072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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It won’t grab headlines, or be the “most intriguing team to watch” in a national news outlet’s season preview. In fact, the Wolves, even in a historically boring offseason around the league, fail to grab shares of the title conversation or see their odds move up and down the board.
Similar to the 2024-2025 Timberwolves, this year’s team will have a similar goal to what Chris Finch laid out last season. Did you make the Western Conference Finals, or are you a Western Conference Finals team?
What I would add on amounts to a greater challenge: Can you prove that continuity can compound to something better, rather than be conflated with complacency?
On paper, the latter can easily be looked at as more likely. Julius Randle is in his thirties. Rudy Gobert is near the end of his prime. Some of the peripheral pieces on this team may not have much more of a ceiling to offer (Donte DiVincenzo, Mike Conley, etc.).
Counterpoint: Two seasons ago, we saw and heard firsthand from coaches and players what having the entire roster under contract does for a locker room. Less personal agenda leaking onto the floor. More shared common goals to reach an ultimate end point. An offseason together, where everyone stayed in Minnesota to workout and get to know each other better. Most of all, the need to not take half of the regular season to adjust to each other’s playing styles on the court, as such was the case this past season with Randle and two seasons ago with Gobert.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">One of Anthony Edwards' messages to his teammates was that it was important for them to be in Minnesota working out together as much as possible. Ant has been walking the walk in that regard. <a href="https://t.co/NTaP8b4ucP">https://t.co/NTaP8b4ucP</a>— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonKrawczynski/status/1955332929069953221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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It worked the first time, and it remains to be seen if it will pay the same dividends. If it doesn’t? I’m sure I’ll write something next offseason singing a very different tune. And who knows? We still have about a month of the offseason left. At this time last year, everything was placid, and to put it lightly, it didn’t end up being so.
But for now, they’re just…there; and that’s ok.
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Derek Hanson</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[The 2025 NBA Cup Draw: Wolves’ Revenge Tour Starts in Group A]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-analysis/60782/the-2025-nba-cup-draw-wolves-revenge-tour-starts-in-group-a" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60782</id>
<updated>2025-08-14T01:31:50-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-14T01:31:50-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Timberwolves Analysis" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Every August, the NBA hits us with the schedule release, and, if we’re lucky, a little offseason drama to tide us over. This year? The drama is coming gift-wrapped as the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup draw. And for the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s not just any draw, it’s a storyline gift from the basketball gods. Group […]]]></summary>
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Every August, the NBA hits us with the schedule release, and, if we’re lucky, a little offseason drama to tide us over. This year? The drama is coming gift-wrapped as the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup draw.
And for the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s not just any draw, it’s a storyline gift from the basketball gods. Group A will feature a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals: Wolves vs. Thunder. Two heavyweights in the same group, joined by three teams who… well, let’s just say they’re the “early lottery pick” portion of the Western Conference menu: the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, and Utah Jazz.
Group A is top-heavy enough to tilt the court. Group B? Mid-tier parity city. It’s got both LA teams, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Dallas Mavericks, with the Pelicans thrown in as the default punching bag. And then there’s Group C, “The Group of Death”, home to Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets, Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets, and Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs. That one’s going to be the NBA’s version of the Elimination Chamber, with the poor Portland Trailblazers thrown in as the jobber.
For Minnesota, this should be a cakewalk… if they can resist their old habit of playing down to the competition. Last year, the Wolves earned a PhD in making winnable games look like root canals. Drop a sloppy one to Sacramento? Go cold for a quarter against Utah? Let Phoenix hang around too long? Suddenly, what looked like a 3–1 group stage turns into 2–2, and you’re watching the knockout rounds on your couch wondering how the Jazz ruined your month.
The stakes are bigger than they look. The Wolves haven’t advanced out of the group stage in the Cup’s first two years. Year one, they got torpedoed by the point-differential tiebreaker—death by math. Last year, an overtime loss to Houston did them in. That’s why this year’s setup feels like an opportunity: two home games to open (Utah on Nov. 7, Sacramento on Nov. 14), then a road trip to Phoenix (Nov. 21), and finally, the heavyweight bout—at Oklahoma City on Nov. 26.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">the quest for the <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a> Cup 🏆 <a href="https://t.co/4Xk4SrLuPl">pic.twitter.com/4Xk4SrLuPl</a>— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1955694612225380459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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You couldn’t script it better. The same floor where the Wolves’ playoff run ended last season. The same crowd that cheered as Anthony Edwards and company fall just short of the Finals. This game could very well decide the group winner. And sure, an NBA Cup isn’t the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but if you’re a Wolves fan, you know the value of getting to see your team lift any kind of hardware. In a franchise with who has only experienced playoff series victories in 3 of their 36 years, I’m not turning my nose up at a midseason championship.
Bottom line: this is a chance to set the tone for the season, send a message to OKC, and maybe finally scratch “win something meaningful” off the Wolves’ 21st-century to-do list. November 26 isn’t the Finals, but make no mistake—it’s circled in red ink.
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<entry>
<author>
<name>Leo Sun</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Iowa Wolves Ink Palestinian-American Head Coach, Mahmoud Abdelfatteh]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-news/60751/nba-g-league-iowa-wolves-palestine-mahmoud-abdelfatteh-joan-beringer-rocco-zikarsky" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60751</id>
<updated>2025-08-12T12:01:15-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-12T10:43:46-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Timberwolves News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Thirsty for Wolves news? Okay, maybe this isn’t the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, this is the best you’ll get in the middle of August. The Iowa Wolves, after finishing dead last in the NBA G League in the 2024-2025 season thanks to their second straight 7-27 record, decided to go in a different direction and signed […]]]></summary>
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Thirsty for Wolves news?
Okay, maybe this isn’t the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, this is the best you’ll get in the middle of August. The Iowa Wolves, after finishing dead last in the NBA G League in the 2024-2025 season thanks to their second straight 7-27 record, decided to go in a different direction and signed the 2022 G League Coach of the Year, Mahmoud Abdelfattah.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-bluesky-social wp-block-embed-bluesky-social"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:e3ktrbooe3mildj4hhwhsvtc/app.bsky.feed.post/3lw62jtzov22e" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreifyuxsfidwbghpusfomhbznvynbyp7vjskucehy27slx2vykwftru">The Minnesota Timberwolves are hiring Mahmoud Abdelfattah as head coach of their G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, league sources told @hoopshypeofficial.bsky.social. Abdelfattah will also be an assistant coach for USA Basketball’s AmeriCup Qualifying Team. Prior, he was Sydney Kings head coach.— <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:e3ktrbooe3mildj4hhwhsvtc?ref_src=embed">Michael Scotto (@mikeascotto.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:e3ktrbooe3mildj4hhwhsvtc/post/3lw62jtzov22e?ref_src=embed">2025-08-12T00:28:47.444Z</a></blockquote>
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Iowa parts ways with their previous head coach of two years, Ernest Scott. The Wolves had a good start to last season, nearly winning the Tip-Off Tournament, but Scott wasn’t able to adapt to the roster shake ups during the regular season. It’s a near certainty that Abdelfattah will guide Iowa to a much better record
A bar that’s not very high.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Who is Mahmoud Abdelfattah?</h2>
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The 36-year-old, Palestinian-American coach grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He was a competitive athlete, spending a few years as a standout basketball player at Wilbur Wright College before getting a scholarship to play at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. He helped SCSU advance to the NCAA DII Elite Eight as a Senior before returning a few years later as an assistant coach for four years.
It didn’t take long for Abdelfattah to get noticed by the big leagues.
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Houston Rockets affiliate, scooped him up as an assistant coach for their 2018-2019 championship run. That team starred Isaiah Hartenstein, who earned Finals MVP. Their success could be at least somewhat tied to Abdelfattah because just a season later, he saw one his coaching dreams come to life.
Abdelfattah was elevated to head coach of the Vipers, becoming the very first Muslim, let alone Palestinian, to become the head coach of a NBA or NBA G League team.
<img src="https://platform.canishoopus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/58/2025/08/gettyimages-1239957040.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0.02626740215392,100,99.947465195692" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="EDINBURG, TX - APRIL 12: Mahmoud Abdelfattah of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers huddles his team up against the Delaware Blue Coats during Game 1 of the 2021-22 G League Finals on April 12, 2022 at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Christian Inoferio/NBAE via Getty Images)" data-portal-copyright="" />
He spent three years at the helm with Rio Grande. They experienced a bit of championship hangover, going 16-26 before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the remainder of the season. The Vipers bounced back in the ensuing abridged season, making the playoffs and exiting in the first round. In Abdelfattah’s third and final season, he earned the G League Coach of the Year award, bringing Rio Grande right back to the finals where they swept the Delaware Blue Coats. Our ol’ friend Daishen Nix was a huge part of that championship run.
Abdelfattah continued to climb the ladder, ascending to a position with Houston Rockets as an assistant coach for the 2022-2023 season under head coach Stephen Silas. Though they finished a disappointing 22-60, tied for second worse in the league, that season did lay the some of the groundwork for their miraculous turnaround the follow year once Ime Udoka took over.
At this point, Abdelfattah was ready to lead a team again. The Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL), who were coming off two straight championships, hired him to try and lead them to a threepeat.
<img src="https://platform.canishoopus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/58/2025/08/gettyimages-1891741735.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.0047143126532134,0,99.990571374694,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 29: Mahmoud Abdelfattah, Head Coach of the Kings addresses his player during the round 13 NBL match between Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans at Qudos Bank Arena, on December 29, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)" data-portal-copyright="" />
The Kings struggled mightily, just barely missing the playoffs in their version of the play-in tournament. Some NBL fans believed that Abdelfattah was just the scapegoat for a rough season. To be fair, Sydney ended up with same fate in their next season without him. Meanwhile, Abdelfattah returned stateside as a team scout and assistant coach on Team USA, reuniting with head coach Stephen Silas for the 2025 Men’s AmeriCup Qualifying Team.
Now, he’ll get a chance to return to the NBA and guide a new look Iowa Wolves team. There’s going to be many new faces, but most excitingly Abdelfattah will get to help develop first round pick Joan Beringer, as well as two-way players Rocco Zikarsky, Tristen Newton, and Enrique Freeman.
I recommend you listen to this 2022 interview with Abdelfattah after he won his championship with the Vipers. You’ll get to know a lot more about what kind of coach he is, what he values on and off the court, and a sense of the type of person he is.
<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe title="The Weekly G: Mahmoud Abdelfattah Full Interview" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P-j9nWFPKGs?rel=0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div>
If you read one thing from this piece, I hope it’s this response to what led his path to the 2022 G League championship and Coach of the Year:
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Basketball is beyond me. I don’t want to win championships. It’s not about winning and all the accolades. Being the first Palestinian Muslim, with a lot of things going on in the world, I want to be able to be that avenue for the younger Muslims and Palestinians in the world.
Being Muslim and Palestinian, there’s a country with a lot of things going on over there. My ultimate goal would be to go back to Palestine and build an academies and run camps over there. Just to help those kids enjoy and see there’s goodness to life.
</blockquote>
Three years later, those statements are even more significant than ever. The ongoing devastation and genocide happening to the Palestinian people is certainly something that deserves more attention than it’s getting. I am certain it still weighs heavy on Abdelfattah and his family’s hearts, as it does to millions of people around the world.
As someone who already avidly followed the Iowa Wolves, the signing of Abdelfattah only makes me not want to miss a single game next season. As he said:
“It’s bigger than me.”

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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Derek Hanson</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Where Does Anthony Edwards Rank Among the West’s Best Players?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-analysis/60742/where-does-anthony-edwards-rank-among-the-wests-best-players" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60742</id>
<updated>2025-08-11T12:23:54-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-11T12:23:15-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Timberwolves Analysis" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Anthony Edwards Cracks the Top Three — But Can He Go Higher? Welcome to the NBA dog days, that strange two-week stretch in early August when there’s nothing happening except Instagram workout videos and the occasional badly Photoshopped “player in new jersey” graphic. NBA.com knows we’re starving for content, so they did us a favor: […]]]></summary>
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Anthony Edwards Cracks the Top Three — But Can He Go Higher?
Welcome to the NBA dog days, that strange two-week stretch in early August when there’s nothing happening except Instagram workout videos and the occasional badly Photoshopped “player in new jersey” graphic. NBA.com knows we’re starving for content, so they did us a favor: they dropped some filler rankings.
First, it was the <a href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-analysis/60637/wolves-get-slighted-in-the-nbas-western-conference-rankings" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-analysis/60637/wolves-get-slighted-in-the-nbas-western-conference-rankings">Western Conference power rankings</a>, where, as we covered a few days ago, the Wolves somehow ended up fourth despite making back-to-back Western Conference Finals. (Insert heavy sigh here.)
Now, they’ve given us their list of the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/ranking-10-best-players-western-conference-2025-26?lid=efvri06saiwe&cid=nba:dynpage:own:email:daily:link:eg:nl:eng:t-crm:US:en:20250807:DAILY_NEWSLETTER:THE_ZONE:&lctg=642ddf3ded08422cf9cb52cb" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.nba.com/news/ranking-10-best-players-western-conference-2025-26?lid=efvri06saiwe&cid=nba:dynpage:own:email:daily:link:eg:nl:eng:t-crm:US:en:20250807:DAILY_NEWSLETTER:THE_ZONE:&lctg=642ddf3ded08422cf9cb52cb">10 best players in the West heading into the 2025–26 season</a>. And while Minnesota as a team may have been slighted, our guy Anthony Edwards actually landed right where he should: #3.
Let’s go through it.
#1 — Nikola Jokic. No surprise here. The guy has three MVPs, two runner-ups, and just dragged a supporting cast of “NBA 2K MyLeague auto-generated players” to within a game of the conference finals. He’s the best player in basketball until further notice. You can’t argue it — and if you do, you’re probably still mad at him for turning your favorite center into barbecue chicken.
#2 — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP. The smoothest, most unhurried 30 points per game you’ll ever see. Shai has the late-’80s Bird vibe where you know he’s about to kill you, you know exactly how he’s going to do it, and you still can’t stop it. OKC just won the title, he was the best player on the team — the résumé writes itself.
#3 — Anthony Edwards. The right spot for now, but you can see the path to #1 or #2. The gap between Ant and Shai isn’t massive — it’s more about consistency. Shai shows up as “The Guy” every single night. Ant can be that guy, and in flashes, he’s even better. But there are still those random nights when he’s a little too willing to defer, or he spends the first three quarters feeling out the game before flipping the switch. To get to SGA/Jokic territory, Ant has to start games in takeover mode, not just finish them there.
#4 — Luka Doncic. Honestly, I thought the Lakers bias might bump Luka ahead of Ant. Luka certainly took a step back last season following his injury and trade to the Lakers. We’ll see if cutting weight and gaining some stability has him back in the Top 3 conversation this season.
#5–#9 — The Old Guard. Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and LeBron James. All legends. All still capable of taking over a series. But also all one injury away from turning their playoff run into a “what could have been” documentary.
#10 — Victor Wembanyama. Probably a year away from cracking the top five, but you could already argue he’s more valuable than a couple guys above him. That’s the scary part.
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What It Means for Ant</h3>
Landing at #3 isn’t just a hat tip from NBA.com. It’s official acknowledgment that Anthony Edwards has arrived. This isn’t “potential” anymore. This isn’t “future face of the league.” This is: You are one of the guys everyone else is game-planning for now.
But if we’re being honest, it’s also a bit of a dare.
Right now, Jokic and Shai are standing in front of him like the two final bosses in a video game. Shai just outdueled him in the Western Conference Finals and has that “never takes a night off” killer mentality. Jokic… well, Jokic is basically if Bird, Sabonis, and a beer league point guard got stuck in a lab together and came out with 4D vision. To leapfrog either of them, Ant has to make a leap that’s about more than just stats. It’s the consistency.
Because here’s the thing, Shai never gives you a 5-for-18 night in March when you’re playing the Spurs on the second half of a back-to-back. Jokic is never passive for three quarters before deciding, “Alright, I guess I’ll get 14 points in the fourth.” But Ant still has those nights. And on a Wolves team that has Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, and a supporting cast full of guys who need him to be the gravity point on every possession, he can’t disappear for stretches.
It’s also about seizing the alpha moments in the playoffs. Look at the Wolves’ postseason runs the last two years — there are games where Ant is clearly the best player on the floor, and then there are games where he’s “just another star.” The difference between #3 in the West and #1 in the league is eliminating the latter entirely. If you’re really the guy, you don’t just win series… you define them.
And maybe that’s the fun part about this whole thing — Ant is 24 years old. Twenty-four! He is still figuring it out, and yet he’s already getting compared to the MVP and the Finals MVP.
So yeah, #3 is fine for now. But this is the year where he can make that jump. This is the year where he can take that “future of the league” tag, rip off the “future” part, and make it official. The path is right there. He’s got the team, he’s got the continuity, he’s got the stage.
And for Wolves fans? Let’s just appreciate how insane this is. Five years ago, we were arguing about whether drafting Ant over LaMelo Ball was a colossal mistake. Now we’re arguing about whether he’s the third-best player in the West and whether he could eventually be the best player in the world. This is uncharted territory for this franchise. The Wolves have a top-three player in the conference, a roster built to win now, and back-to-back trips to the conference finals.
Minnesota Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards. Contenders. It’s not just a cute underdog story anymore. This is a franchise with a real shot, a superstar close to hitting his prime, and a roster that knows how to win in May.
If #3 is where Ant starts this season, don’t be shocked if he finishes it at #1 — because when you’ve got a player this talented, this driven, and this ready for the moment, the ceiling isn’t a ranking… it’s a parade.
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Benny Hughes</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Lynx 83, Liberty 71: Defensive Masterpiece Power Lynx to Victory]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/lynx-scores-results/60729/minnesota-lynx-new-york-liberty-wnba-final-score-game-recap" />
<id>https://www.canishoopus.com/?p=60729</id>
<updated>2025-08-10T15:23:21-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-10T15:23:21-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Lynx Scores" /><category scheme="https://www.canishoopus.com" term="Minnesota Lynx" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Despite being without Napheesa Collier injury, the Minnesota Lynx have still been able to keep the train rolling after back-to-back close victories aided by the strong play of newcomer DiJonai Carrington. The Phee-less Lynx will face their biggest challenge yet without their captain as they look to take down the New York Liberty in a […]]]></summary>
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Despite being without Napheesa Collier injury, the <a href="http://Canishoopus.com" data-type="link" data-id="Canishoopus.com">Minnesota Lynx</a> have still been able to keep the train rolling after back-to-back close victories aided by the strong play of newcomer DiJonai Carrington. The Phee-less Lynx will face their biggest challenge yet without their captain as they look to take down the <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.netsdaily.com/nyliberty">New York Liberty</a> in a Sunday matinee matchup. The Liberty are coming in having won three in a row as the two champion hopefuls square off on ABC.
Both teams were playing with great pace early on as they tried to get some easy buckets with both teams’ best players inactive. Kayla McBride started off strong early on hitting a couple of threes while Natasha Cloud used her speed to get into the paint and finish around the rim.
Courtney Williams led the offensive charge for the Lynx as she scored or assisted on 20 of Minnesota’s 25 points in the first quarter. She got to her mid-range spot with ease and converted in a back and forth first quarter. Williams scored eight points and added five assists as the Lynx led 25-24 after the first.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">in the moment: <a href="https://t.co/Del3z1Rjsu">https://t.co/Del3z1Rjsu</a> <a href="https://t.co/2dlUvFiVFm">pic.twitter.com/2dlUvFiVFm</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1954587193306910737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After a smooth offensive start for both squads, they both hit rocky waters in the second as only 25 points total was scored between Minnesota and New York. The Liberty capitalized during the first half of the frame on the Lynx struggles as they got their lead up to six points but Maria Kliundikova created some big swing plays to keep the game close throughout the quarter.
Alanna Smith impressed defensively as well with a couple of blocks to stifle New York’s offense. Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride led the way with eight points each as Natasha Cloud’s 9 points gave New York a two point lead at halftime.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">LOVE IT, LAN 🤭 <a href="https://t.co/1pBPccuCFG">pic.twitter.com/1pBPccuCFG</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1954591517743407181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Turnovers plagued the Lynx early on in the quarter as the Liberty broke out an eight point lead early on. Minnesota used their physicality to stay in the game and keep it close. Kayla McBride and Natasha Cloud were going back and forth as the game remained close over much of the quarter. That is when the defensive switch flipped.
DiJonai Carrington helped wreak havoc defensively which resulted in a 14-0 Minnesota run over the last four minutes. Marine Johannes broke the streak with a three but Minnesota still maintained a nine point lead with 10 minutes to play.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">👀 <a href="https://t.co/t0XIAPHE7L">pic.twitter.com/t0XIAPHE7L</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1954604406512472328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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It was a foul fest early in the quarter as the Liberty tried to regain momentum after the third quarter Lynx run. Minnesota continued their relentless defense as they looked like a pack of hawks off the ball forcing the Liberty into bad decisions and killing any hope for a comeback. Minnesota staved off every run down the stretch and took the win, 83-71.
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Pink Hair Dominance</h3>
With Napheesa Collier out, the Lynx used their pink hair power with a balanced attack to take down the New York Liberty. All of the members of this prestigious club – Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Dijonai Carrington and Natisha Hiedeman all had their shining moments to defeat the Liberty in this marquee matchup.
Courtney Williams started the party with a great first quarter and finished with 12 points and seven assists. Kayla McBride matched every assemblance of a run from New York with clutch buckets. Natisha Hiedeman helped push the pace and use her quickness to get to the rim and Dijonai Carrington picked up the defensive intensity and was huge in the third quarter run that ultimately was the difference in the game.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">the bucket: <a href="https://t.co/XTvwzCjess">pic.twitter.com/XTvwzCjess</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1954604931500888495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Steals on Steals</h3>
When you’re missing 23.5 points per game, it can be tough to replicate that output. The Lynx turned to their defense to make up the difference in this one. They forced the Liberty into 20 turnovers and scored 22 points off of those turnovers.
It seemed like whenever New York threw a pass that wasn’t perfectly on the money, Minnesota was there to intercept. Alanna Smith and Maria Kliundikova have PHD’s in being in the right place at the right time as they had four steals apiece and ruined the Liberty’s offensive flow whenever they tried to get back into the game. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">"timeout New York" 😏 <a href="https://t.co/oEnZlQE0yn">pic.twitter.com/oEnZlQE0yn</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1954606314811805928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Third quarter run</h3>
The turning point in the game was the 14-0 run during the third quarter spurred by the Lynx defense. The intensity was dialed up as they ruined good offense and used those stops to fuel their offensive storm.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">3 for 3 😆 <a href="https://t.co/yySXknw8wV">pic.twitter.com/yySXknw8wV</a>— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx/status/1954602257422447100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Up Next</h3>
Minnesota will get nearly a week off before continuing the New York Liberty portion of their schedule as the second of three consecutive meetings is next Saturday, August 16. The game begins at 1:00 PM CT, airing nationally on CBS.
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