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  3.  <title>Canis Hoopus -  All Posts</title>
  4.  <subtitle>82-0</subtitle>
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  6.  <updated>2025-03-13T19:00:00-05:00</updated>
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  10.    <published>2025-03-13T19:00:00-05:00</published>
  11.    <updated>2025-03-13T19:00:00-05:00</updated>
  12.    <title>Game Preview #68 - Timberwolves vs. Magic</title>
  13.    <content type="html">  
  14.  
  15.    &lt;figure&gt;
  16.      &lt;img alt="Minnesota Timberwolves v Orlando Magic" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pzEVaUxbJfD8Rfays9YVaDwjX4c=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73961210/2192534410.0.jpg" /&gt;
  17.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  18.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  19.  
  20.  &lt;p&gt;The Timberwolves continue their winning ways, returning from Denver on a six-game heater. Can they remain focused and get the job done against a tired Magic squad to keep the streak alive?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="Gy1IV1"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Orlando Magic&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Date: &lt;/strong&gt;March 14th, 2025&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Time: &lt;/strong&gt;7:00 PM CST&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Location: &lt;/strong&gt;Target Center&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Television Coverage: &lt;/strong&gt;FanDuel Sports Network North&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Radio Coverage:&lt;/strong&gt; KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio&lt;/p&gt;
  21. &lt;div class="c-float-right"&gt;&lt;div id="azxp53"&gt;&lt;div data-anthem-component="aside:12299189"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  22. &lt;h3 id="R3VhCa"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wolves vs. Magic: The Streak Lives On, but No Time to Coast&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  23. &lt;p id="EcMzBS"&gt;The Minnesota Timberwolves are on fire.&lt;/p&gt;
  24. &lt;p id="lYbI2t"&gt;Fresh off a six-game winning streak and a dominant wire-to-wire beatdown of the Denver Nuggets, the Wolves return home to Target Center on Friday night to take on the Orlando Magic.&lt;/p&gt;
  25. &lt;p id="TAWslH"&gt;Now, let’s be real here—this is the part of the schedule where good teams separate themselves from pretenders. The Wolves are rolling, they’re fully healthy, and they will be facing a team coming off a road game in New Orleans tonight.&lt;/p&gt;
  26. &lt;p id="2AnBOn"&gt;This should be a win.&lt;/p&gt;
  27. &lt;p id="Y035T3"&gt;It &lt;strong&gt;needs&lt;/strong&gt; to be a win.&lt;/p&gt;
  28. &lt;p id="7bzPV9"&gt;And yet, if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the course of this season, it’s that the Wolves love to make things harder on themselves than they need to. We’ve seen this story before: dominate elite teams like Denver and OKC, then sleepwalk against inferior competition and let a team like Orlando hang around long enough to make things weird in the fourth quarter.&lt;/p&gt;
  29. &lt;p id="ZDxWfp"&gt;This is not the time to get complacent. The Wolves are still stuck in seventh place, fighting to break free from the play-in. Every game matters.&lt;/p&gt;
  30. &lt;p id="MJpNNr"&gt;So what needs to happen for the Wolves to keep this streak rolling? Let’s break it down.&lt;/p&gt;
  31. &lt;h3 id="jUk2jE"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What We Learned from the Denver Beatdown&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  32. &lt;p id="ZUvzOM"&gt;Let’s take a second to appreciate what we saw on Wednesday night:&lt;/p&gt;
  33. &lt;ul&gt;
  34. &lt;li id="4WzeTx"&gt;Rudy Gobert played an incredible defensive game. Jokic got his numbers, but he had to work for every single one of them.&lt;/li&gt;
  35. &lt;li id="9yBRYS"&gt;Julius Randle has fully bought in. No more ball-stopping, no more dribbling into oblivion. He played smart, moved the ball, and punished mismatches.&lt;/li&gt;
  36. &lt;li id="RE4WIP"&gt;Anthony Edwards was locked in defensively. He didn’t put up 40, but he impacted the game in every way possible.&lt;/li&gt;
  37. &lt;li id="xG5qGs"&gt;The bench is a weapon. Naz Reid, DiVincenzo, NAW and Jaylen Clark brought energy and intensity. The Nuggets had no answers.&lt;/li&gt;
  38. &lt;/ul&gt;
  39. &lt;p id="xGLOVM"&gt;The biggest takeaway? This Wolves team finally looks like a legitimate threat.&lt;/p&gt;
  40. &lt;p id="M5Z7QB"&gt;Which brings us to the Magic.&lt;/p&gt;
  41. &lt;h3 id="4AwLUs"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keys to the Game vs. Orlando&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  42. &lt;h4 id="KDqpGj"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Come Out Aggressive—Don’t Mess Around&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  43. &lt;p id="FMVlTo"&gt;Orlando is playing on the second night of a back-to-back. They’ll be tired, and if the Wolves come out guns blazing, they can effectively end this game by halftime.&lt;/p&gt;
  44. &lt;p id="YltLWm"&gt;This means:&lt;/p&gt;
  45. &lt;ul&gt;
  46. &lt;li id="XXhF5u"&gt;Attack the rim. Orlando doesn’t have the size to compete with Minnesota.&lt;/li&gt;
  47. &lt;li id="DmXS3n"&gt;Push the pace. Make them feel the effects of their travel schedule.&lt;/li&gt;
  48. &lt;li id="eV0vrP"&gt;Play with intensity from the tip. No need to let this become a fourth-quarter grind.&lt;/li&gt;
  49. &lt;/ul&gt;
  50. &lt;p id="y1uu50"&gt;A good team steps on the gas and doesn’t let up. The Wolves need to be that team.&lt;/p&gt;
  51. &lt;h4 id="cHin3S"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Lock Down Paolo Banchero&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  52. &lt;p id="jQQ6pa"&gt;With Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner out, the Magic’s offense is basically:&lt;/p&gt;
  53. &lt;ol&gt;
  54. &lt;li id="eSYDco"&gt;Paolo Banchero doing everything.&lt;/li&gt;
  55. &lt;li id="Xz1K2f"&gt;Franz Wagner trying to help.&lt;/li&gt;
  56. &lt;li id="WfMduB"&gt;Cole Anthony chucking up 20-footers and praying.&lt;/li&gt;
  57. &lt;/ol&gt;
  58. &lt;p id="KLRUlc"&gt;This is where the Wolves’ defensive depth shines.&lt;/p&gt;
  59. &lt;ul&gt;
  60. &lt;li id="JqueTF"&gt;McDaniels needs to make Banchero miserable if he wanders to the perimeter.&lt;/li&gt;
  61. &lt;li id="R5ZWeq"&gt;Gobert and Randle need to body Banchero him up inside.&lt;/li&gt;
  62. &lt;li id="8pkFAJ"&gt;Help defense needs to be sharp—Paolo is great at drawing extra defenders and kicking it out.&lt;/li&gt;
  63. &lt;/ul&gt;
  64. &lt;p id="gwxE33"&gt;If Banchero struggles, Orlando has no chance.&lt;/p&gt;
  65. &lt;h4 id="dOKzmh"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Keep the Ball Moving&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  66. &lt;p id="dRG3rg"&gt;One of the biggest reasons the Wolves have turned things around? Ball movement.&lt;/p&gt;
  67. &lt;ul&gt;
  68. &lt;li id="63qt2g"&gt;No more hero ball.&lt;/li&gt;
  69. &lt;li id="xVlszk"&gt;Less isolation play from Edwards and Randle.&lt;/li&gt;
  70. &lt;li id="MIhSGn"&gt;More quick passes, drive-and-kicks, and unselfish decision-making.&lt;/li&gt;
  71. &lt;/ul&gt;
  72. &lt;p id="A3qLNX"&gt;The Wolves’ offense looks completely different than it did earlier in the year. When the ball moves, everyone gets better looks—especially from three.&lt;/p&gt;
  73. &lt;p id="nix8o8"&gt;We’ve seen Jaden McDaniels, Mike Conley, and Naz Reid all thrive because of this shift. It has to continue against Orlando.&lt;/p&gt;
  74. &lt;h4 id="YrjZJB"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Hit Open Shots&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  75. &lt;p id="HmaDi4"&gt;The Wolves are one of the most dangerous teams in the league when they’re hitting threes.&lt;/p&gt;
  76. &lt;ul&gt;
  77. &lt;li id="DZ4GA2"&gt;DiVincenzo has been automatic lately.&lt;/li&gt;
  78. &lt;li id="xXRlh2"&gt;McDaniels and Conley are finding their stroke.&lt;/li&gt;
  79. &lt;li id="Ci1eru"&gt;Naz Reid can light it up at any moment.&lt;/li&gt;
  80. &lt;/ul&gt;
  81. &lt;p id="HNX1R5"&gt;If the Wolves continue to shoot well from deep, Orlando has no chance of keeping up.&lt;/p&gt;
  82. &lt;h4 id="Q1HFur"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Continue to Ride Ant and Randle—But Within the Offense&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  83. &lt;p id="R9BFfa"&gt;Anthony Edwards doesn’t need to force 30 shots to dominate a game.&lt;/p&gt;
  84. &lt;p id="lx3Blb"&gt;We saw it in Denver—he played smart, controlled basketball and let the game come to him. That’s what we need to see again against Orlando.&lt;/p&gt;
  85. &lt;p id="8YjE2G"&gt;Same goes for Randle. When he plays within the flow of the offense, the Wolves are so much harder to guard.&lt;/p&gt;
  86. &lt;ul&gt;
  87. &lt;li id="HwYgoy"&gt;Attack mismatches.&lt;/li&gt;
  88. &lt;li id="Hise60"&gt;Get to the free-throw line.&lt;/li&gt;
  89. &lt;li id="5pat7I"&gt;Kick out when the defense collapses.&lt;/li&gt;
  90. &lt;/ul&gt;
  91. &lt;p id="WnKClC"&gt;That’s the formula.&lt;/p&gt;
  92. &lt;h3 id="CBksXe"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why This Game Matters More Than You Think&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  93. &lt;p id="YBeefd"&gt;Right now, the Wolves are tied with Golden State, but the Warriors own the tiebreaker.&lt;/p&gt;
  94. &lt;p id="TfcJUP"&gt;That means Minnesota has to finish with a better record if they want to escape the play-in.&lt;/p&gt;
  95. &lt;p id="xUoayb"&gt;The good news? The Wolves’ schedule is light and the next five games are all at Target Center.&lt;/p&gt;
  96. &lt;p id="IO6Ua6"&gt;✅ &lt;strong&gt;Orlando&lt;/strong&gt; (on a back-to-back)&lt;/p&gt;
  97. &lt;p id="zhfPSL"&gt; ✅ &lt;strong&gt;Utah&lt;/strong&gt; (struggling and lottery bound)&lt;/p&gt;
  98. &lt;p id="brQP6K"&gt; ✅ &lt;strong&gt;Indiana&lt;/strong&gt; (playoff team, but beatable)&lt;/p&gt;
  99. &lt;p id="KP7Zcd"&gt; ✅ &lt;strong&gt;New Orleans (twice)&lt;/strong&gt; (Pelicans are collapsing)&lt;/p&gt;
  100. &lt;p id="LrKTfa"&gt;If the Wolves take care of business, they could easily be looking at a double-digit winning streak.&lt;/p&gt;
  101. &lt;p id="afIE5q"&gt;Meanwhile, Golden State has to run through the Kings, &lt;a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com"&gt;Knicks&lt;/a&gt;, Nuggets, and Bucks.&lt;/p&gt;
  102. &lt;p id="OFAErk"&gt;This is the opportunity to finally break free of the play-in.&lt;/p&gt;
  103. &lt;h3 id="242XRR"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Prediction: Do the Wolves Keep Rolling?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  104. &lt;p id="mY0wkh"&gt;Orlando is tired.&lt;/p&gt;
  105. &lt;p id="deMbib"&gt; Minnesota is locked in.&lt;/p&gt;
  106. &lt;p id="pgvp0Y"&gt; The Wolves are at home.&lt;/p&gt;
  107. &lt;p id="cyF8Ny"&gt;Everything about this game screams blowout.&lt;/p&gt;
  108. &lt;p id="eXnQDS"&gt;But again—this is the Wolves. We’ve seen them turn easy wins into stressful, ugly fourth-quarter battles.&lt;/p&gt;
  109. &lt;p id="TtTcBK"&gt;That being said, I think they’ve turned a corner.&lt;/p&gt;
  110. &lt;p id="krFXlH"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Final Score: Wolves 118, Magic 102.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  111. &lt;p id="M8nVSL"&gt;Edwards dominates. Randle feasts inside. The bench brings energy.&lt;/p&gt;
  112. &lt;p id="iNSvtK"&gt;And the Wolves?&lt;/p&gt;
  113. &lt;h3 id="60PZxx"&gt;They keep the streak alive.&lt;/h3&gt;
  114. &lt;div id="vmgi8h"&gt;
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  135. &lt;p id="yT0893"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  136. &lt;p id="WjmEKm"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  137.  
  138. </content>
  139.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/13/24385215/game-preview-68-timberwolves-vs-magic"/>
  140.    <id>https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/13/24385215/game-preview-68-timberwolves-vs-magic</id>
  141.    <author>
  142.      <name>Derek_Hanson</name>
  143.    </author>
  144.  </entry>
  145.  <entry>
  146.    <published>2025-03-12T23:47:50-05:00</published>
  147.    <updated>2025-03-12T23:47:50-05:00</updated>
  148.    <title>Wolves 115, Nuggets 95: Denver? I Hardly Know ‘Er</title>
  149.    <content type="html">  
  150.  
  151.    &lt;figure&gt;
  152.      &lt;img alt="Minnesota Timberwolves v Denver Nuggets" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_J8-0Dl37i-OtK8yMC-2havzgFs=/0x6:3204x2142/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73959264/2204209263.0.jpg" /&gt;
  153.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  154.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  155.  
  156.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A total team effort leads to one of the most optimistic victories of the season.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="BBuZfv"&gt;The healthy &lt;a href="https://www.canishoopus.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Timberwolves&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; had been a buzzsaw ever since Julius Randle returned from injury. Between a starting lineup finally coalescing and an embarrassment of riches off the bench, the Wolves were setting themselves up for a rise in the Western Conference playoff standings.&lt;/p&gt;
  157. &lt;p id="MUpp87"&gt;It is only fitting for them to face the two seed Denver Nuggets, the team whose season they ended in a dramatic game seven comeback last year, the team that they had won ten straight against and, most notably, the team they have been tied to ever since the 2018 game 82 instant classic.&lt;/p&gt;
  158. &lt;p id="g2Xhtk"&gt;The game started with a first quarter that saw the Wolves leading by eight, limiting the Aaron-Gordon-less Nuggets to 26 points in the period. It was fast break points and hot shooting from Donte Divincenzo that established that start.&lt;/p&gt;
  159. &lt;p id="8mn3B4"&gt;Funny enough, it was a run in the second quarter that started with Jokic on the bench that led Wolves Twitter to panic. What started as an unexpected stemming of bleeding at a -2 Jokic-less stretch became an 8-0 run that brought the game back into reach. From there on out, the second quarter simply became a full-on shootout. &lt;/p&gt;
  160. &lt;p id="AyrzKW"&gt;The attack for the Wolves in the first half was a balanced attack. Conversely, the Nuggets seemed to only have Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokic against the world. It would end up being a nine-point Wolves lead at intermission.&lt;/p&gt;
  161. &lt;p id="q7PQqk"&gt;A 7-0 run was resisted by a pair of Jaden McDaniels threes. A Mike Conley floater was matched by a Jokic three. It was seemingly that type of game. Anytime the Nuggets would start a comeback, the Wolves would find a few well-timed buckets. Whenever the Wolves started to pull away, the Nuggets defense would lock in to pull them back down to earth. Still, the lead sat at 14 going into the fourth.&lt;/p&gt;
  162. &lt;p id="sPZe9g"&gt;So, why go into depth on each quarter, step by step, in this recap? Well, the whole focus of this recap should be this:&lt;/p&gt;
  163. &lt;p id="CU6w87"&gt;The Wolves are back. They are a good team. All of us who looked at Randle as a trade deadline dump candidate were not just wrong, but actively idiotic, it seems.&lt;/p&gt;
  164. &lt;div id="sD2j4P"&gt;
  165. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  166. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;15 games to go in the season, and the Wolves are CLEARLY playing their best basketball of the season.&lt;/p&gt;— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/DaneMooreNBA/status/1900037929164300618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;March 13, 2025&lt;/a&gt;
  167. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  168. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  169.  
  170. &lt;/div&gt;
  171. &lt;p id="xBg3rP"&gt;Dane says it perfectly. This team is hitting its mark at the perfect time. The hope is, with their last 15 games largely facing bad teams, that they can make it out of the play-in.&lt;/p&gt;
  172. &lt;p id="o92xoM"&gt;Before we get there, however, we need to take a quick glance at what worked (lots of stuff) and what didn’t (not a whole lot).&lt;/p&gt;
  173. &lt;h3 id="OrI5Va"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Young Guys Go Back Under Ice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  174. &lt;p id="FRT6dq"&gt;This is just personally disappointing. It makes sense that the return of Donte Divincenzo, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert would mean there were fewer minutes to go around. It makes sense that Finch prefers a shortened rotation that gives his best players the most run. It all makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;
  175. &lt;p id="AoEXR2"&gt;However, I cannot overstate how much I miss seeing Jaylen Clark in the rotation. His time will come, as will TJ Shannon’s, but it’s just sad to see the energy and joy they brought be reserved for the bench.&lt;/p&gt;
  176. &lt;p id="dk8K5i"&gt;Jaylen Clark in particular is a player I would be sad to see in a full-time reserve role. Clark is the logical replacement for Nickeil Alexander-Walker if the free agent forward leaves in the summer. NAW got his chance to be a rotation player in the playoffs two years ago. I’d like for Clark to get the same opportunity.&lt;/p&gt;
  177. &lt;h3 id="DpaGcw"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It’s All About the Matchups&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  178. &lt;p id="IX9RpA"&gt;The Wolves have now beaten the Nuggets in each of their three meeting this year. They are 10-4 against Denver in their last 14 matchups. The last time the Nuggets won consecutive games against the Wolves was in 2021.&lt;/p&gt;
  179. &lt;p id="Bc0plg"&gt;Considering that the Wolves currently sit in seventh, and the Nuggets in second, there is a chance that tonight’s opponent could be a playoff enemy for a third year in a row. &lt;/p&gt;
  180. &lt;p id="s56jQk"&gt;And while facing an MVP level player like Nikola Jokic is never a preferred option, the Wolves clearly play the Serbian big better than any other team can hope to. Additionally, it seems like Jamal Murray can only overcome the Wolves’ gauntlet of defenders for quarters at a time.&lt;/p&gt;
  181. &lt;p id="pLSQlH"&gt;Despite an absent Aaron Gordon, it does feel like this team just cannot find the code to break Minnesota’s defense. Jokic had four turnovers in the first quarter. He had what feels like a paltry four assists. He was a -24! In 38 minutes!!&lt;/p&gt;
  182. &lt;p id="4cXkUu"&gt;It was a drubbing, a beatdown, however you want to call it. This matchup is one the Wolves will continue to look forward to until they are beaten at it.&lt;/p&gt;
  183. &lt;h3 id="zNGoeu"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Randle Apology Form&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  184. &lt;p id="ux103B"&gt;Look, I needed to sign it and I’m pretty sure most of you need to as well. Enjoy the win tonight, Wolves fans.&lt;/p&gt;
  185. &lt;div id="n6jCGn"&gt;
  186. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"&gt;
  187. &lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;it's here folks &lt;a href="https://t.co/XeyO0LSkBO"&gt;pic.twitter.com/XeyO0LSkBO&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— tlo.l.w (@Tlo_L_W) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/Tlo_L_W/status/1900044313225998538?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;March 13, 2025&lt;/a&gt;
  188. &lt;/blockquote&gt;
  189. &lt;script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
  190.  
  191. &lt;/div&gt;
  192. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="IHyvwY"&gt;
  193. &lt;h2 id="89sktz"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Up Next&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  194. &lt;p id="Vi4ASx"&gt;The Timberwolves return home for a five-game homestand, tied for their longest string of games at Target Center this season. The first one comes on Friday against the Orlando Magic. The game begins at 7:00 PM CT, airing on FanDuel Sports Network.&lt;/p&gt;
  195. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="chF5y3"&gt;
  196. &lt;h2 id="GArftY"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Game Highlights&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  197. &lt;div id="7Xrqp3"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6nlldABGX6c?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  198.  
  199. </content>
  200.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-scores-results/2025/3/12/24384634/nba-final-score-minnesota-timberwolves-denver-nuggets-anthony-edwards-nikola-jokic-julius-randle"/>
  201.    <id>https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-scores-results/2025/3/12/24384634/nba-final-score-minnesota-timberwolves-denver-nuggets-anthony-edwards-nikola-jokic-julius-randle</id>
  202.    <author>
  203.      <name>Thilo Latrell Widder</name>
  204.    </author>
  205.  </entry>
  206.  <entry>
  207.    <published>2025-03-11T20:00:00-05:00</published>
  208.    <updated>2025-03-11T20:00:00-05:00</updated>
  209.    <title>Game Preview #67 - Timberwolves at Nuggets</title>
  210.    <content type="html">  
  211.  
  212.    &lt;figure&gt;
  213.      &lt;img alt="Denver Nuggets v Minnesota Timberwolves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1AddbJO2Xq7eF0CmsinKXqdsKfM=/0x0:3266x2177/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73956217/2195331617.0.jpg" /&gt;
  214.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  215.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  216.  
  217.  &lt;p&gt;After feasting on some weak competition for the past five games, the Minnesota Timberwolves will face one of their toughest challenges this season as they head to Denver to take on the Nuggets. Can Minnesota extend it’s winning streak to a season-high six games and stay afloat in the tough Western Conference?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="Gy1IV1"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Date: &lt;/strong&gt;March 12th, 2025&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Time: &lt;/strong&gt;9:00 PM CST&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Location: &lt;/strong&gt;Ball Arena&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Television Coverage: &lt;/strong&gt;ESPN/FanDuel Sports Network North&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Radio Coverage:&lt;/strong&gt; KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio&lt;/p&gt;
  218. &lt;div class="c-float-right"&gt;&lt;div id="azxp53"&gt;&lt;div data-anthem-component="aside:12299189"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  219. &lt;h3 id="60PZxx"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wolves vs. Nuggets: A Heavyweight Bout in the Mile High City&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  220. &lt;p id="4ouso0"&gt;The Minnesota Timberwolves are rolling. Winners of five straight, fully healthy for the first time in months, and finally looking like the team that could cause some serious damage in the playoffs. But now comes the real test: a road trip to Denver to take on Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.&lt;/p&gt;
  221. &lt;p id="7JagIp"&gt;No more bottom-feeder matchups. No more easy wins against teams racing for the lottery. If the Wolves are truly ready to take that next step and shake off the inconsistent, frustrating season that’s defined them for months, this game will be a defining moment.&lt;/p&gt;
  222. &lt;p id="A1rB9e"&gt;Denver wants revenge. Minnesota wants validation. Let’s break it all down.&lt;/p&gt;
  223. &lt;h3 id="cB41Km"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Wolves Are Finally at Full Strength—But Are They Ready for This?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  224. &lt;p id="ehbkxM"&gt;For the first time in what feels like forever, the Wolves have no one listed on the injury report.&lt;/p&gt;
  225. &lt;p id="yAjNzN"&gt;Julius Randle is back and has finally figured out how to fit into this system. Rudy Gobert’s back spasms seem to be a thing of the past. Mike Conley is running the offense like the steady veteran he is. Donte DiVincenzo has found his groove as a shooter. Jaden McDaniels is playing with aggression and confidence. And, of course, Anthony Edwards continues to be a walking highlight reel.&lt;/p&gt;
  226. &lt;p id="xdRATm"&gt;The Wolves have looked dominant over the past five games, but let’s be honest—they’ve been feasting on cupcakes.&lt;/p&gt;
  227. &lt;ul&gt;
  228. &lt;li id="1ESkbJ"&gt;San Antonio (without Wemby)? Win.&lt;/li&gt;
  229. &lt;li id="3LGRq3"&gt;Miami (Jimmy Butler traded away)? Win.&lt;/li&gt;
  230. &lt;li id="t6nUKD"&gt;Charlotte? Philadelphia? Wins.&lt;/li&gt;
  231. &lt;/ul&gt;
  232. &lt;p id="Z5ZeMs"&gt;These were games Minnesota was supposed to win. And to their credit, they did. But this is different.&lt;/p&gt;
  233. &lt;p id="z9n7TW"&gt;Denver is a real test. The Nuggets have lost two straight to Minnesota this season, including a 29-point blowout at Target Center in January. Jokic has been waiting ten months to take a whiff of revenge after last season’s playoff defeat in May.&lt;/p&gt;
  234. &lt;p id="zSBCsz"&gt;Denver is coming off a big win over the Thunder and will be looking to make a statement. The Wolves need to match that energy—or they’re going to get run out of the building.&lt;/p&gt;
  235. &lt;h3 id="RyEK9t"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keys to the Game: What the Wolves Need to Do to Win&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  236. &lt;h4 id="cISGX5"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Slow Down Jokic (Or At Least Try To)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  237. &lt;p id="oZCaks"&gt;Look, you’re not stopping Nikola Jokicć. It’s just not happening. But Tim Connelly built this team to give him problems.&lt;/p&gt;
  238. &lt;p id="Jn5uoX"&gt;The Gobert-Randle-Naz trio is the best combination of size, length, and defensive versatility you can throw at Jokić over the course of four quarters.&lt;/p&gt;
  239. &lt;ul&gt;
  240. &lt;li id="BbVktx"&gt;Gobert is there to be the primary defender, contesting every shot and making Jokic work harder than usual.&lt;/li&gt;
  241. &lt;li id="aiocaw"&gt;Randle is there to body him up and be physical in spurts.&lt;/li&gt;
  242. &lt;li id="wb4OTl"&gt;Naz? He’s the wildcard. If Jokic is getting tired, Naz can come in, stretch the floor, and force Denver to play small.&lt;/li&gt;
  243. &lt;/ul&gt;
  244. &lt;p id="e54leC"&gt;Minnesota has been able to wear Jokic down in the past. If they do it again, the Nuggets offense crumbles.&lt;/p&gt;
  245. &lt;h4 id="mzWuXY"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Don’t Let the Wings Kill You&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  246. &lt;p id="Y1yJbw"&gt;This is where Denver can kill you.&lt;/p&gt;
  247. &lt;p id="q6y6eC"&gt;Jokic is a magnet for defenders—when he gets doubled, it leads to wide-open threes for guys like Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon.&lt;/p&gt;
  248. &lt;p id="PcXJRL"&gt;The Wolves have to close out aggressively. They did a great job of this against Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earlier this year, forcing those guys into tough, contested shots.&lt;/p&gt;
  249. &lt;p id="1N3b86"&gt;If Murray, Gordon, or Porter Jr. gets hot from deep, it could be a long night for Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
  250. &lt;p id="UkDzOs"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;UPDATE: &lt;/strong&gt;Aaron Gordon is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game due to an aggravation of a calf injury.&lt;/p&gt;
  251. &lt;h4 id="Bc6pDN"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Let Anthony Edwards Go to Work&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  252. &lt;p id="FVHQu6"&gt;When the Wolves beat Denver by 29 in January, it was because Anthony Edwards dominated.&lt;/p&gt;
  253. &lt;p id="nMhbr8"&gt;Edwards owns matchups against Jamal Murray who can’t handle his combination of size, strength, and athleticism.&lt;/p&gt;
  254. &lt;p id="3KbWwM"&gt;The Wolves need aggressive Ant, not “let me settle for contested threes” Ant.&lt;/p&gt;
  255. &lt;ul&gt;
  256. &lt;li id="dQleTF"&gt;Attack the rim.&lt;/li&gt;
  257. &lt;li id="YcWc1Y"&gt;Get to the free-throw line.&lt;/li&gt;
  258. &lt;li id="DrHa10"&gt;Put pressure on Denver’s defense early and often.&lt;/li&gt;
  259. &lt;/ul&gt;
  260. &lt;p id="KBPnVu"&gt;If Ant drops 30+, the Wolves have a real shot to steal this one.&lt;/p&gt;
  261. &lt;h4 id="Bvm2a1"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Use the Bench to Wear Denver Down&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  262. &lt;p id="JZEZ0t"&gt;Denver’s depth is their biggest weakness. They’re not the same team that won the title in 2023&lt;/p&gt;
  263. &lt;ul&gt;
  264. &lt;li id="j5n3V5"&gt;Jeff Green? Gone.&lt;/li&gt;
  265. &lt;li id="0mvFaV"&gt;Bruce Brown? Gone.&lt;/li&gt;
  266. &lt;li id="FH8XqT"&gt;KCP? Also gone.&lt;/li&gt;
  267. &lt;/ul&gt;
  268. &lt;p id="xNihA0"&gt;Meanwhile, the Wolves have one of the deepest teams in the league.&lt;/p&gt;
  269. &lt;ul&gt;
  270. &lt;li id="5mBGij"&gt;Naz Reid can be an instant mismatch off the bench.&lt;/li&gt;
  271. &lt;li id="N0AkjD"&gt;Clark and Shannon Jr. bring energy and defense.&lt;/li&gt;
  272. &lt;li id="gOQb9a"&gt;NAW scraps and hustles his way to big plays on both ends of the floor&lt;/li&gt;
  273. &lt;li id="5PhrT2"&gt;DiVincenzo can single-handedly turn the lights out on opponents if he catches fire&lt;/li&gt;
  274. &lt;/ul&gt;
  275. &lt;p id="CISlhI"&gt;If the Wolves push the pace and wear Denver down, their bench can swing this game.&lt;/p&gt;
  276. &lt;h3 id="eeGoV8"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why This Game Matters: The Standings Are Tight&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  277. &lt;p id="j82Ehy"&gt;This is a massive game for Minnesota.&lt;/p&gt;
  278. &lt;p id="xtPIPc"&gt;Golden State isn’t slowing down.&lt;/p&gt;
  279. &lt;p id="IyndVo"&gt; Houston isn’t going to let up, especially with their weak schedule.&lt;/p&gt;
  280. &lt;p id="CwhJdw"&gt; Memphis is struggling but still ahead of the Wolves.&lt;/p&gt;
  281. &lt;p id="vyc6ma"&gt;Minnesota cannot afford to lose ground.&lt;/p&gt;
  282. &lt;p id="I6HB0C"&gt;A win here keeps them in the hunt for the sixth seed and sends a message that they can beat elite teams on the road.&lt;/p&gt;
  283. &lt;p id="tfsFzg"&gt;A loss? They stay stuck in play-in purgatory.&lt;/p&gt;
  284. &lt;h3 id="FDOgye"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Prediction: Can the Wolves Take Denver Down Again?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  285. &lt;p id="YZjLyg"&gt;This is going to be a war.&lt;/p&gt;
  286. &lt;p id="Nm4U8F"&gt;Denver has everything to play for—home-court advantage, revenge against the Wolves, and a shot at securing the No. 2 seed.&lt;/p&gt;
  287. &lt;p id="hrPnM3"&gt;The Wolves are playing their best basketball of the season, but they haven’t faced a team this good in a while.&lt;/p&gt;
  288. &lt;p id="Ay1l8E"&gt;My gut says this is going to be a nail-biter.&lt;/p&gt;
  289. &lt;ul&gt;
  290. &lt;li id="fV3ySY"&gt;If Ant goes nuclear and the Wolves defense frustrates Jokic, Minnesota can win this game outright.&lt;/li&gt;
  291. &lt;li id="4HxWMh"&gt;If Jokic  does Jokic  things and the Nuggets wings start hitting threes, this could be a reality check for Minnesota.&lt;/li&gt;
  292. &lt;/ul&gt;
  293. &lt;p id="kcjdZB"&gt;Final prediction? Wolves 112, Nuggets 109—a statement win that keeps Minnesota’s six-seed dream alive.&lt;/p&gt;
  294. &lt;h3 id="e2hlde"&gt;Either way, this game will tell us everything we need to know about where the Wolves really stand.&lt;/h3&gt;
  295. &lt;div id="vmgi8h"&gt;
  296.  
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  298.    &lt;title&gt;canishoopus&lt;/title&gt;
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  315. &lt;/div&gt;
  316. &lt;p id="wpRd1b"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  317. &lt;p id="yT0893"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  318.  
  319. </content>
  320.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/11/24383421/game-preview-67-timberwolves-at-nuggets"/>
  321.    <id>https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/11/24383421/game-preview-67-timberwolves-at-nuggets</id>
  322.    <author>
  323.      <name>Derek_Hanson</name>
  324.    </author>
  325.  </entry>
  326.  <entry>
  327.    <published>2025-03-11T09:45:56-05:00</published>
  328.    <updated>2025-03-11T09:45:56-05:00</updated>
  329.    <title>Two Words, Wolves Pod: The Wolves are Healthy Again</title>
  330.    <content type="html">  
  331.  
  332.    &lt;figure&gt;
  333.      &lt;img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/S2Chjfhp7r2xmxf5ed7AmBnap-Y=/0x530:3000x2530/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73954714/CoverArt_1_JPEG_3000px.0.jpg" /&gt;
  334.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  335.  
  336.  &lt;p&gt;On today’s podcast, Ryan Eichten and Leo break down the Wolves regaining their full rotation on their way to a 5-game winning streak&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="EXjpZE"&gt;On today’s episode, Ryan Eichten and Leo Sun break down the &lt;a href="https://www.canishoopus.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Timberwolves&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;’ regaining their full rotation of healthy players, including Rudy Gobert, leading to their second five-game winning streak of the season.&lt;/p&gt;
  337. &lt;p id="B2aJE0"&gt;— During the Wolves' current five-game win streak, Julius Randle is averaging 17.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. He has given Minnesota exactly what they need as the Wolves have won the last ten games with Randle in the lineup.&lt;/p&gt;
  338. &lt;p id="gKdQAY"&gt;— Each of the last five wins has come against losing teams. While the Wolves are playing much better than they did earlier in the year, they will need to prove this recent upswing is for real against better teams.&lt;/p&gt;
  339. &lt;p id="google_ads_iframe_/172968584/sbn/nba/canishoopus.com_14__container__"&gt;— Donte DiVincenzo has continued his scorching hot shooting, making more than half of his 3-point shots in the last five games. His shooting ability has opened up a Minnesota offense that has lacked quality shooting most of the year.&lt;/p&gt;
  340. &lt;p id="1jZd4r"&gt;— With the entire roster back healthy, Jaden McDaniels has remained a dominant force on both ends of the floor. The worry was his increased production would go down with Randle back on the court, but there has been no production dip for McDaniels.&lt;/p&gt;
  341. &lt;p id="26pejk"&gt;— After an up-and-down first half of the season, Chris Finch has done an outstanding job smoothly transitioning the Wolves from playing young guys in the face of injuries to working each of their veterans back into the lineup off the injury report.&lt;/p&gt;
  342. &lt;p id="Bb1PB2"&gt;— The Wolves currently sit as the seventh seed in the Western Conference, only a half game back of the &lt;a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Golden State Warriors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; who have also won five games in a row.&lt;/p&gt;
  343. &lt;div id="RbY8Xt"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 152px; position: relative;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1qkTxFkT0OiW7UcwqUdM8d?utm_source=oembed" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" allow="clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  344. &lt;p id="XJSTO0"&gt;(If you can’t access the Spotify player above, click &lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qkTxFkT0OiW7UcwqUdM8d?si=QrnjE_voTvS6TKc7a3ui8w"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt; to listen to the latest episode).&lt;/p&gt;
  345.  
  346. </content>
  347.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/11/24383125/two-words-timberwolves-podcast-nba-julius-randle-donte-divincenzo-chris-finch-jaden-mcdaniels"/>
  348.    <id>https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/11/24383125/two-words-timberwolves-podcast-nba-julius-randle-donte-divincenzo-chris-finch-jaden-mcdaniels</id>
  349.    <author>
  350.      <name>Ryan Eichten</name>
  351.      <name>Leo Sun</name>
  352.    </author>
  353.  </entry>
  354.  <entry>
  355.    <published>2025-03-10T12:58:29-05:00</published>
  356.    <updated>2025-03-10T12:58:29-05:00</updated>
  357.    <title>NBA Power Rankings: Week 21</title>
  358.    <content type="html">  
  359.  
  360.    &lt;figure&gt;
  361.      &lt;img alt="Minnesota Timberwolves v Charlotte Hornets" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9ucgVLLkDqhoWeaVaJ_tLwWmOR0=/0x0:3587x2391/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73952539/2203518213.0.jpg" /&gt;
  362.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  363.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  364.  
  365.  &lt;p&gt;Things are heating up as we head down the final stretch of the regular season towards the 2025 NBA Playoffs. How did Minnesota fare in this week’s edition of the rankings after their five-game winning streak?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3 id="yd8l6v"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NBA Power Rankings: Wolves Are Back, Warriors Are Rising, and Cleveland Just Won’t Lose&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  366. &lt;p id="PSSW8d"&gt;It’s that time again—NBA Power Rankings, the final-month edition. The intensity is cranked up to playoff-level stakes, teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack, and the Wolves are back in the mix after a two-week exile from this list.&lt;/p&gt;
  367. &lt;p id="l7jD2n"&gt;Minnesota has reeled off five straight wins, finally taking advantage of their weak March schedule, but they still find themselves in the middle of a dogfight to avoid the play-in. Meanwhile, Golden State is getting terrifyingly hot at the exact wrong time for Wolves fans, Cleveland continues its thanos-level dominance, and Oklahoma City just refuses to lose (unless it’s to Minnesota).&lt;/p&gt;
  368. &lt;p id="536oZ9"&gt;So, where does everyone stand? Let’s get to the rankings.&lt;/p&gt;
  369. &lt;h3 id="AW4Kea"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Cleveland Cavaliers (54-10) | Last Week: 1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  370. &lt;p id="AGk8gh"&gt;Cleveland is on a 14-game heater and handed the &lt;a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com"&gt;Knicks&lt;/a&gt;, Grizzlies, and &lt;a href="https://www.celticsblog.com"&gt;Celtics&lt;/a&gt; Ls for their trouble along the way. If you’re still doubting them as a legit title favorite, that’s on you. They own the league’s best record, and it might be time to start thinking about a Cavs-Thunder Finals as a real possibility.&lt;/p&gt;
  371. &lt;h3 id="DTXf9Q"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Oklahoma City Thunder (53-11) | Last Week: 2&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  372. &lt;p id="pRhoaY"&gt;OKC hasn’t lost to anyone not named “Minnesota” since January 30th. That’s insane. They just dismantled Denver and are showing zero signs of slowing down. Their seven-game win streak doesn’t do them justice—they’re running teams out of the gym.&lt;/p&gt;
  373. &lt;p id="e6tnnp"&gt;But let’s be real—they don’t want to see the Wolves in the playoffs.&lt;/p&gt;
  374. &lt;h3 id="McI9xG"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Boston Celtics (46-18) | Last Week: 3&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  375. &lt;p id="uMMjbf"&gt;Boston responded to a brutal loss to Cleveland by knocking off Denver and the &lt;a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com"&gt;Lakers&lt;/a&gt;. They’re a lock for the East’s No. 2 seed, but this is starting to feel like a one-track road to a Boston-Cleveland Eastern Conference Finals showdown.&lt;/p&gt;
  376. &lt;h3 id="V1eeZd"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Los Angeles Lakers (40-22) | Last Week: 4&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  377. &lt;p id="fohKEU"&gt;The Celtics gave them a reality check this week, but I’m not dropping them too far after an eight-game win streak.&lt;/p&gt;
  378. &lt;p id="iTT3LV"&gt;The real concern? LeBron is out with an injury, and if that lingers, they could slide a bit in the standings. But the NBA would &lt;em&gt;never&lt;/em&gt; let the Lakers fall past the four-seed.&lt;/p&gt;
  379. &lt;h3 id="f29reb"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Denver Nuggets (41-23) | Last Week: 6&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  380. &lt;p id="7yH78Q"&gt;Denver just took a brutal loss to the Thunder but Nikola Jokic has still been dominant as of late, including his ridiculous 30-20-20 triple-double. I still don’t know if I fully trust this Nuggets team, but you can never count out the best player in the world come playoff time.&lt;/p&gt;
  381. &lt;h3 id="7SJzcR"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6. Golden State Warriors (36-28) | Last Week: 12&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  382. &lt;p id="7p3qOf"&gt;This is the nightmare scenario for the Wolves.&lt;/p&gt;
  383. &lt;p id="QvvNDx"&gt;The Warriors have won nine of their last ten and don’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon. The Jimmy Butler trade has completely flipped the script, and suddenly, they’re surging right at the worst possible time for Minnesota’s play-in avoidance plan.&lt;/p&gt;
  384. &lt;h3 id="PLXPtk"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7. Houston Rockets (39-25) | Last Week: 7&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  385. &lt;p id="vzdWty"&gt;The Rockets hold steady after back-to-back wins over New Orleans, but they lost to the Thunder, Pacers, and Kings before that. Still, this team is dangerous—especially if they avoid the play-in.&lt;/p&gt;
  386. &lt;h3 id="fnwMy3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8. Minnesota Timberwolves (37-29) | Last Week: Not Ranked&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  387. &lt;p id="kPcU5Y"&gt;The Wolves are back after a two-week absence, riding a five-game winning streak and finally stringing together some consistent basketball.&lt;/p&gt;
  388. &lt;p id="A11kJQ"&gt;After getting beat up by the post-All-Star break schedule, they’ve handled their business against easier teams and need to keep this momentum rolling. The road to the sixth seed is still alive—but Golden State is making it a nightmare.&lt;/p&gt;
  389. &lt;h3 id="xpZKJ6"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;9. New York Knicks (40-23) | Last Week: 5&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  390. &lt;p id="1B7SrE"&gt;Three straight tough losses (Warriors, Lakers, Clippers) drop them out of the top five. The Knicks are still in a good spot overall, but they’re looking a lot less scary heading into the playoffs than they did a month ago.&lt;/p&gt;
  391. &lt;h3 id="t3t0ZH"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;10. Memphis Grizzlies (40-24) | Last Week: 11&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  392. &lt;p id="lbBn1h"&gt;The Grizzlies stopped the bleeding with wins over New Orleans and Dallas, but they had just lost four straight before that. With a brutal schedule coming up, they might be in real danger of falling out of the top six.&lt;/p&gt;
  393. &lt;h3 id="5gshet"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;11. Milwaukee Bucks (36-27) | Last Week: 8&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  394. &lt;p id="6nWwed"&gt;The Bucks lost to Cleveland, but at this point, who hasn’t? They’ve still won eight of their last eleven, so I’m keeping them in the mix. They’re the classic “good but not great” team this year.&lt;/p&gt;
  395. &lt;h3 id="t8U65b"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;12. Detroit Pistons (36-29) | Last Week: 10&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  396. &lt;p id="LwPkqS"&gt;Detroit finally cooled off after their extended winning streak, going 3-3 in their last six. They’re still a fun team on the rise, but they’re not ready for prime time yet.&lt;/p&gt;
  397. &lt;h3 id="fSZ7pb"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Falling Off: Indiana Pacers (35-27) | Last Week: 9&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  398. &lt;p id="OBuTUL"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  399. &lt;h3 id="xAYDoc"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Final Thoughts: The Wolves Are Back, But Now Comes the Real Test&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  400. &lt;p id="eocdyF"&gt;Minnesota has done exactly what they needed to do—stack wins against the weak part of their schedule. But now the real test begins.&lt;/p&gt;
  401. &lt;ul&gt;
  402. &lt;li id="1oTVAP"&gt;They still sit in the No. 7 seed, tied with Golden State.&lt;/li&gt;
  403. &lt;li id="SB22wy"&gt;The Clippers and Kings are still lurking behind them.&lt;/li&gt;
  404. &lt;li id="R1qlyZ"&gt;A tougher matchups against Denver and Indiana lurk on the horizon.&lt;/li&gt;
  405. &lt;/ul&gt;
  406. &lt;p id="TO7p4D"&gt;This is the moment.&lt;/p&gt;
  407. &lt;p id="g64Qj2"&gt;The good news? They’re playing their best basketball of the season.&lt;/p&gt;
  408. &lt;p id="okyV1o"&gt; The bad news? Golden State is also playing its best basketball of the season.&lt;/p&gt;
  409. &lt;p id="vZ8rID"&gt;It’s going to be a sprint to the finish, and every game matters. The Wolves have the talent, the schedule advantage, and the momentum—now they just need to close the deal.&lt;/p&gt;
  410. &lt;p id="GsAlzh"&gt;This isn’t just about making the playoffs.&lt;/p&gt;
  411. &lt;p id="SYGj3w"&gt; This is about proving that last year’s Western Conference Finals run wasn’t a fluke.&lt;/p&gt;
  412. &lt;p id="jeUW1T"&gt;Let’s see if they’re up to the challenge.&lt;/p&gt;
  413.  
  414. </content>
  415.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/10/24382386/nba-power-rankings-week-21"/>
  416.    <id>https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/10/24382386/nba-power-rankings-week-21</id>
  417.    <author>
  418.      <name>Derek_Hanson</name>
  419.    </author>
  420.  </entry>
  421.  <entry>
  422.    <published>2025-03-10T05:30:00-05:00</published>
  423.    <updated>2025-03-10T05:30:00-05:00</updated>
  424.    <title>Minnesota Lynx Offseason Update Vol. 15: Postseason Nearing Around the Globe</title>
  425.    <content type="html">  
  426.  
  427.    &lt;figure&gt;
  428.      &lt;img alt="Polish Women’s Basketball Cup 2025 - Finals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Y6atXsQy-SrnmZhH_nDTfCKKPhQ=/0x0:5041x3361/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73951534/2195422794.0.jpg" /&gt;
  429.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  430.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  431.  
  432.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Each week, we will provide an update on the Minnesota Lynx players overseas and how they are performing as part of our Lynx Offseason Update series.&lt;/em&gt;  &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="c5GWsm"&gt;As is the case when the calendar flips to March, basketball across the globe and at various levels has turned up a notch with postseason basketball here or nearing in nearly every league worldwide. &lt;/p&gt;
  433. &lt;p id="L2oEVa"&gt;From college basketball concluding conference playoff and nearing the NCAA Tournament, to the Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited leagues approaching the postseason or having the season conclude, to leagues overseas gearing up for playoff action as the regular seasons wind down. &lt;/p&gt;
  434. &lt;p id="UJLkFW"&gt;Basketball in March is just different. And it’s been awfully entertaining as the offseason rolls along. &lt;/p&gt;
  435. &lt;p id="JG5gzm"&gt;For the Minnesota Lynx, they have 15 &lt;a href="http://canishoopus.com/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Lynx&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; players who are under team control playing or have played in either the United States or overseas. Those players include Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, Alissa Pili, Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith, Natisha Hiedeman, Dorka Juhász, Diamond Miller, Maïa Hirsch, Jessica Shepard, Marième Badiane, Grace Berger, Kiara Leslie and newcomer Camryn Taylor.&lt;/p&gt;
  436. &lt;p id="m3W5X5"&gt;Let’s dive into this new edition of the Lynx Offseason Update looking back on how the Lynx have performed over the past week!&lt;/p&gt;
  437. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="EKMoHN"&gt;
  438. &lt;h3 id="gOGaEp"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Napheesa Collier — Lunar Owls (United States)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  439. &lt;p id="KIEBIO"&gt;Collier has shined all Unrivaled season long, dominating both offensively and on the glass. Now at the end of the regular season, Collier has continued to lead Unrivaled in scoring while sitting as the frontrunner to win league MVP.&lt;/p&gt;
  440. &lt;p id="rMd94Y"&gt;Collier and Lunar Owls took the court in two games over the past week, with Collier once again doing it all for her squad. Collier dominated in the first game with a 33-point double-double, putting together a balanced outing in the second contest while hitting the game-winning shot for Lunar Owls.&lt;/p&gt;
  441. &lt;p id="r9XNNA"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  442. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="4nUoZ5"&gt;13 games — 25.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.0 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 18.8 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  443. &lt;p id="49xfSh"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  444. &lt;ul&gt;
  445. &lt;li id="eNbnaP"&gt;March 3 vs. Phantom (92-79 win): 33 points (14-22 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks over 21 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  446. &lt;li id="TBkb0N"&gt;March 7 vs. Rose (66-56 win): 16 points (7-16 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 1-1 FT), nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block over 22 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  447. &lt;/ul&gt;
  448. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="bmJUIS"&gt;
  449. &lt;h3 id="eVCjeY"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kayla McBride — Laces (United States)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  450. &lt;p id="PCKEgz"&gt;McBride has been a walking bucket all season long in Unrivaled as she has led the Laces while still sitting second among players in scoring behind only Napheesa Collier.&lt;/p&gt;
  451. &lt;p id="cCPSFL"&gt;Over the past week, McBride and Laces took the court in a trio of contests, with the guard once again leading her squad from three and concluding with two 20-point performances out of the three outings. &lt;/p&gt;
  452. &lt;p id="roO5OE"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  453. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="BuVri6"&gt;13 games — 22.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 19.6 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  454. &lt;p id="uQF8UL"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  455. &lt;ul&gt;
  456. &lt;li id="ENH8Kh"&gt;March 3 vs. Rose (58-53 loss): 20 points (8-19 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 1-1 FT), five rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block over 26 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  457. &lt;li id="Mji7U6"&gt;March 7 vs. Phantom (73-59 win): 25 points (9-19 FG, 5-13 3Pt, 1-1 FT), five assists, four rebounds and one block over 17 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  458. &lt;li id="3lO2KA"&gt;March 8 vs. Mist (76-69 win): 17 points (6-14 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 1-1 FT), three rebounds and one assist over 15 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  459. &lt;/ul&gt;
  460. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="hPT6LN"&gt;
  461. &lt;h3 id="952esD"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Courtney Williams — Lunar Owls (United States)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  462. &lt;p id="uosujH"&gt;As we have seen with the Lynx in the &lt;a href="https://www.swishappeal.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WNBA&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Williams has been the spark plug and energy generator for Lunar Owls so far in Unrivaled, distributing the ball well while also being able to help her squad with her shot when needed.&lt;/p&gt;
  463. &lt;p id="I9rtVp"&gt;Over the past week, Williams and the Lunar Owls played in two contests, both victories. Williams had a bit of a quiet performance in the first outing, but responded with a double-digit scoring total in the second game, her third game in double figures over her last four contests. &lt;/p&gt;
  464. &lt;p id="2v4f6z"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  465. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="FSkA1R"&gt;13 games — 9.4 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.8 RPG, 0.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 9.6 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  466. &lt;p id="nryt5k"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  467. &lt;ul&gt;
  468. &lt;li id="E44pdh"&gt;March 3 vs. Phantom (92-79 win): two points (1-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt), four assists and two rebounds over 10 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  469. &lt;li id="e70ePS"&gt;March 7 vs. Rose (66-56 win): 12 points (6-10 FG), five rebounds, four assists and one steal over 12 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  470. &lt;/ul&gt;
  471. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="8ILfdd"&gt;
  472. &lt;h3 id="hmY7Wt"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Natisha Hiedeman — Phantom (United States)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  473. &lt;p id="FUDx2a"&gt;After starting the Unrivaled season with Phantom and then Laces, Hiedeman has shifted back to Phantom to rejoin the squad she began the year with. &lt;/p&gt;
  474. &lt;p id="NF631P"&gt;Over the past week, Hiedeman and Phantom took the court in three games, falling in the first two but bouncing back in the finale. Hiedeman put on a show in the first game, setting a season high in scoring with a 20-point performance. Over the final two contests, she had quiet outings while finishing in single digits. &lt;/p&gt;
  475. &lt;p id="J2vxJl"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  476. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="LfkxSn"&gt;12 games — 7.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 9.8 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  477. &lt;p id="O9JzyA"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  478. &lt;ul&gt;
  479. &lt;li id="Gimo5p"&gt;March 3 vs. Lunar Owls (92-79 loss): 20 points (7-11 FG, 6-7 3Pt), four rebounds and three assists over 13 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  480. &lt;li id="bjFLKx"&gt;March 7 vs. Laces (73-59 loss): five points (2-7 FG, 1-3 3Pt), four rebounds and one assist over 11 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  481. &lt;li id="nNZVyO"&gt;March 8 vs. Vinyl (80-74 win): two points (1-6 FG, 0-3 3Pt), four assists, three rebounds and one block over nine minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  482. &lt;/ul&gt;
  483. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="XR98eX"&gt;
  484. &lt;h3 id="TUSjmN"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alissa Pili — Team Harris (United States)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  485. &lt;p id="mpbSAB"&gt;Pili got back on the court this offseason while taking part in Athletes Unlimited, completing the four-week schedule last week while ending the year appearing in all 12 contests.  &lt;/p&gt;
  486. &lt;p id="rbDjhE"&gt;Pili rounded out the season with a nice showing, concluding the year with just over 12 points per game and shooting 43.2 percent from the field. &lt;/p&gt;
  487. &lt;p id="FUZwSw"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  488. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="pCDm9D"&gt;12 games — 12.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.5 SPG, 28.1 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  489. &lt;p id="1YflJQ"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  490. &lt;ul&gt;
  491. &lt;li id="xz7foX"&gt;March 1 vs. Team Sims (100-97 win): 14 points (6-15 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 0-2 FT), six rebounds and one assist over 35 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  492. &lt;li id="S34m3w"&gt;March 2 vs. Team Bradford (84-78 loss): seven points (2-3 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-1 FT) and one rebound over 23 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  493. &lt;/ul&gt;
  494. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="nQTRli"&gt;
  495. &lt;h3 id="lfF4i8"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bridget Carleton — ÇBK Mersin (Turkey)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  496. &lt;p id="e8cWia"&gt;Now, with Carleton playing with ÇBK Mersin in Turkey after starting the offseason with UNI Györ in Hungary, Carleton has continued to put together a strong offseason thus far.&lt;/p&gt;
  497. &lt;p id="agGLsy"&gt;Over the past week, Carleton didn’t take part in any contests with ÇBK Mersin, though her squad did beat Bodrum 103-43 on March 7. ÇBK Mersin returns to the court March 18 for the start of the Turkish Cup.&lt;/p&gt;
  498. &lt;p id="SZrCUK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  499. &lt;p id="7CZQPC"&gt;With ÇBK Mersin:&lt;/p&gt;
  500. &lt;ul&gt;
  501. &lt;li id="sGJGPv"&gt;Turkey-KBSL: 8 games — 10.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 35.6 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  502. &lt;li id="ZW7ORv"&gt;Euroleague: 6 games — 10.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 32.8 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  503. &lt;/ul&gt;
  504. &lt;p id="tOORKa"&gt;UNI Györ:&lt;/p&gt;
  505. &lt;ul&gt;
  506. &lt;li id="C7Cq3B"&gt;Hungary-A Division: 5 games — 12.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 31.2 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  507. &lt;li id="tz1vz7"&gt;Euroleague: 2 games — 15.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 36.0 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  508. &lt;/ul&gt;
  509. &lt;p id="LNmKES"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  510. &lt;ul&gt;
  511. &lt;li id="EZAkVF"&gt;Feb. 26 vs. Valencia (92-77 win): 12 points (3-6 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 4-4 FT), six rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block over 29 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  512. &lt;li id="WkTlkA"&gt;March 2 vs. Kayseri (74-68 win): 17 points (5-9 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 5-7 FT), 13 rebounds, three steals and two assists over 40 minutes.&lt;/li&gt;
  513. &lt;/ul&gt;
  514. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="nyNzgV"&gt;
  515. &lt;h3 id="0ytsAt"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Alanna Smith — Shandong (China)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  516. &lt;p id="SCHrVG"&gt;Smith has been all over the globe over the course of her WNBA career, currently playing for Shandong in China. During her career, Smith has played in Australia, Poland, and Turkey before landing with her current Chinese squad.&lt;/p&gt;
  517. &lt;p id="wcQcD5"&gt;Over the past week, Smith returned to form after somewhat of a quiet performance the week prior, dropping 30 points for the second time this season while tying her second-highest rebound total in an impressive showing. &lt;/p&gt;
  518. &lt;p id="lmYBf0"&gt;Smith and Shandong are currently taking part in the WCBA playoffs, facing Guangdong in the quarterfinals. Action resumes this week for a trip to the semifinals on the line.&lt;/p&gt;
  519. &lt;p id="VFsVu6"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  520. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="8ZlMvg"&gt;China-WCBA: 34 games — 18.6 PPG 10.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.2 SPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  521. &lt;p id="GPcqSF"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  522. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="HQLi6q"&gt;March 3 vs. Hebei (102-83 win): 31 points (15-24 FG, 1-4 3Pt), 18 rebounds, five assists and two steals&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  523. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="61vFx4"&gt;
  524. &lt;h3 id="Iyw1nc"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dorka Juhász — Famila Schio (Italy)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  525. &lt;p id="ENhyYo"&gt;Juhász is back in Italy again this year, coming off a strong campaign with Famila Schio last offseason and looking to build upon that this season as she prepares for her third WNBA campaign in 2025.&lt;/p&gt;
  526. &lt;p id="Q9PJxv"&gt;Juhász and Famila Schio took the court in one contest over the past week, with Juhász having somewhat of a quiet performance offensively but still contributing on the glass to help her squad to victory. &lt;/p&gt;
  527. &lt;p id="sIP0UT"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  528. &lt;ul&gt;
  529. &lt;li id="EZdgvk"&gt;Italy-Serie A1: 11 games — 8.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 20.5 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  530. &lt;li id="keY1ev"&gt;Euroleague: 9 games — 8.9 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 26.1 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  531. &lt;/ul&gt;
  532. &lt;p id="Q4yg0C"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  533. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="zvKRgC"&gt;March 9 vs. Scrivia (88-69 win): four points (1-5 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and one block over 21 minutes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  534. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="MgDcyU"&gt;
  535. &lt;h3 id="zRFsv4"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Diamond Miller — Gorzow Wielkopolski (Poland)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  536. &lt;p id="CLrwfk"&gt;Miller had her season cut short last offseason while dealing with a knee injury, only appearing in three games in Hungary before returning to Minnesota to rehab her injury. This offseason, she has done well in her first full healthy offseason.&lt;/p&gt;
  537. &lt;p id="pCAraC"&gt;Over the past week, Miller took the court in one game, putting on a show by doing it all en route to a double-double showing and impressing on the defensive end as well. &lt;/p&gt;
  538. &lt;p id="UrkBuo"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  539. &lt;ul&gt;
  540. &lt;li id="Xq4era"&gt;Poland-OBLK: 14 games — 17.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 28.1 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  541. &lt;li id="uPkyOr"&gt;EuroCup: 4 games — 12.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 31.5 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  542. &lt;/ul&gt;
  543. &lt;p id="Mw0L5V"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  544. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="G9krAB"&gt;March 9 vs. Polkowice (116-46 win): 16 points (6-6 FG, 3-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, six assists, four blocks and two steals over 16 minutes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  545. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="XhKXx0"&gt;
  546. &lt;h3 id="dU52l4"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Marième Badiane — Fenerbahçe (Turkey)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  547. &lt;p id="O3XByj"&gt;As she prepares to take a WNBA court for the first time ever this summer, Badiane is playing with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe this offseason, contributing nicely in numerous areas for her squad.&lt;/p&gt;
  548. &lt;p id="0aeS3u"&gt;Over the past week, Badiane didn’t take part in any action despite Fenerbahçe facing — and beating — Besiktas 91-63 on March 9. &lt;/p&gt;
  549. &lt;p id="VFRW9F"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  550. &lt;ul&gt;
  551. &lt;li id="SrWZmP"&gt;Turkey-KBSL: 10 games — 14.9 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 29.1 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  552. &lt;li id="5SKxv3"&gt;Euroleague: 14 games — 5.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 17.2 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  553. &lt;/ul&gt;
  554. &lt;p id="Hn0kOk"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  555. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="y8J1I8"&gt;Feb. 26 vs. Famila Schio (64-60 win): six points (3-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt), two assists and one rebound over 12 minutes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  556. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="8O6rrd"&gt;
  557. &lt;h3 id="pOmSut"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jessica Shepard — Athinaikos AS Vurona (Greece)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  558. &lt;p id="ZaQLhH"&gt;Some may have forgotten about Shepard since she didn’t play in the WNBA in 2024 on a suspended contract while remaining overseas, but the veteran is still under control of the Lynx.&lt;/p&gt;
  559. &lt;p id="t6HTVv"&gt;Shepard had continued to shine in Greece while playing with Athinaikos AS Vurona, playing in one game over this week and once again recording a double-double. Shepard has posted a double-double in all 17 contests this season. &lt;/p&gt;
  560. &lt;p id="nTUZBX"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  561. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="o7Bsq2"&gt;Greece-A1: 17 games — 27.6 PPG, 15.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 33.3 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  562. &lt;p id="OIlpHb"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  563. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="xQAHRi"&gt;March 2 vs. Panathinaikos (95-82 win): 26 points (7-15 FG, 12-18 FT), 12 rebounds, three assists and one steal over 37 minutes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  564. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="4SjMjS"&gt;
  565. &lt;h3 id="acTlgm"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Grace Berger — OGM Ormanspor (Turkey)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  566. &lt;p id="RCjLUX"&gt;Berger, another new member of the Lynx, was claimed off waivers by Minnesota after the former seventh-overall pick was waived by the Indiana Fever earlier this offseason.&lt;/p&gt;
  567. &lt;p id="JdfzD3"&gt;While playing with OGM Ormanspor in Turkey, Berger appeared in one game over the past week, again reaching double figures in scoring while tying a season-high mark in rebounds in a near double-double outing. &lt;/p&gt;
  568. &lt;p id="M19UhO"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  569. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="bT7Tki"&gt;Turkey-KBSL: 21 games — 13.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 36.1 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  570. &lt;p id="hXSyFI"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  571. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="zuT8pc"&gt;March 8 vs. Kocaeli (86-77 win): 11 points (4-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), nine rebounds, three assists and three steals over 36 minutes &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  572. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="PWODPT"&gt;
  573. &lt;h3 id="hoxPtL"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Camryn Taylor — Esperides (Greece)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  574. &lt;p id="7U1fcW"&gt;Taylor is a player some Lynx fans might be familiar with, having spent time with Minnesota last training camp. &lt;a href="https://x.com/Lynx_PR/status/1894490942624723120"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Freshly signed to rejoin the team for camp&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; again this year, Taylor has impressed overseas with Esperides in Greece.&lt;/p&gt;
  575. &lt;p id="A7BQEN"&gt;Over the past week, Taylor played in one contest with her squad, reaching double figures in scoring while also contributing on the boards in a balanced outing. &lt;/p&gt;
  576. &lt;p id="ToYYRU"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  577. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="fG9hz9"&gt;Greece-A1: 19 games — 21.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 1.6 APG, 0.3 BPG, 31.2 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  578. &lt;p id="RnCuBH"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  579. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="nJ5wcK"&gt;March 9 vs. PAOK (66-55 loss): 14 points (5-13 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 3-3 FT), five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block over 28 minutes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  580. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="ULsgza"&gt;
  581. &lt;h3 id="fJp9ml"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maïa Hirsch — ESB Villeneuve (France)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  582. &lt;p id="0kgvYj"&gt;Hirsch has yet to appear with the Lynx or in the WNBA after being drafted 12th overall by Minnesota in 2023 but is still under team control as she remains in France with ESB Villeneuve.&lt;/p&gt;
  583. &lt;p id="9mNufG"&gt;So far this offseason, Hirsch hasn’t seen a high level of production in France-BWL action, some of that due to the lack of minutes on the court in France. Over the past week, Hirsch didn’t appear in any action on the court with ESB Villeneuve.&lt;/p&gt;
  584. &lt;p id="sSs5ex"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  585. &lt;ul&gt;
  586. &lt;li id="wQsCJc"&gt;France-BWL: 6 games — 3.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.5 BPG, 12.8 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  587. &lt;li id="zVpuJe"&gt;EuroCup: 2 games — 8.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 19.0 MPG&lt;/li&gt;
  588. &lt;/ul&gt;
  589. &lt;p id="PMWAii"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recent Games:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  590. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="HIMWh1"&gt;Jan. 5 vs. Landerneau (81-65 win): no points (0-0 FG) and three rebounds over six minutes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  591. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="L22CL2"&gt;
  592. &lt;h3 id="0GpWqP"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kiara Leslie — Gigantes de Carolina (Puerto Rico)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  593. &lt;p id="asJZYU"&gt;Leslie is the newest member of the Lynx, signing a training camp contract with Minnesota over the past week. Leslie was originally drafted by the Washington Mystics 10th overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft, last playing in the WNBA in 2021.&lt;/p&gt;
  594. &lt;p id="QnXvuN"&gt;Leslie has played overseas in Egypt, France, Israel, and Russia throughout her career, most recently playing in Puerto Rico for Puerto Rico-BSNF action as part of Gigantes de Carolina. Last playing with the club on Oct. 28, Leslie did a little bit of everything for her Puerto Rican squad over 20 contests.&lt;/p&gt;
  595. &lt;p id="CFimRI"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Season Stats:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  596. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li id="U8tIns"&gt;Puerto Rico-BSNF: 20 games — 18.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 35.6 MPG&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  597. &lt;hr class="p-entry-hr" id="0Qm3jw"&gt;
  598. &lt;p id="km0MXI"&gt;That will do it for this week. As always, thank you for reading! We will catch up with you next week with another Lynx Offseason Update.&lt;/p&gt;
  599. &lt;p id="zciyyy"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  600.  
  601. </content>
  602.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/10/24381025/minnesota-lynx-offseason-update-vol-15-postseason-nearing-around-the-globe-napheesa-collier"/>
  603.    <id>https://www.canishoopus.com/2025/3/10/24381025/minnesota-lynx-offseason-update-vol-15-postseason-nearing-around-the-globe-napheesa-collier</id>
  604.    <author>
  605.      <name>Mitchell Hansen</name>
  606.    </author>
  607.  </entry>
  608.  <entry>
  609.    <published>2025-03-09T22:58:03-05:00</published>
  610.    <updated>2025-03-09T22:58:03-05:00</updated>
  611.    <title>Timberwolves 141, Spurs 124: A Long Awaited Exhale</title>
  612.    <content type="html">  
  613.  
  614.    &lt;figure&gt;
  615.      &lt;img alt="NBA: San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KMDfK1kPTe6dUQsimZ3nl4o4u0Q=/0x0:4042x2695/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73951354/usa_today_25629792.0.jpg" /&gt;
  616.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  617.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  618.  
  619.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Rudy Gobert returned to the lineup for the first time after a 10 game absence, helping spark a balanced attack where eight different Wolves scored in double figures.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="ct9V37"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.canishoopus.com"&gt;Minnesota Timberwolves&lt;/a&gt; have been, for large chunks of this season, unable to get out of their own way. There were losses against bad teams, as there admittedly are for every team, but there was a far more irritating trend. While they wouldn’t lose every game against poor competition, they certainly failed to make it an easy game.&lt;/p&gt;
  620. &lt;p id="ywfKbC"&gt;Tonight, if even for one night, that wasn’t true. The Wolves won a wire-to-wire domination in which they led the whole way through against a tanking &lt;a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com"&gt;San Antonio Spurs&lt;/a&gt; team. It might not have been perfect, but it was appreciated. &lt;/p&gt;
  621. &lt;p id="lQJZIg"&gt;And that’s worth celebrating. &lt;/p&gt;
  622. &lt;p id="zAKYNv"&gt;The game was headlined by a Rudy Gobert return, which led to the re-benching of Naz Reid who has been quite good as the starter. Gobert had a solid showing with 16 points and eight rebounds. Naz Reid had a strong game as well in his previous role with 20 points and a dazzling array of baby hooks.&lt;/p&gt;
  623. &lt;p id="cIkk1q"&gt;However, it was Anthony Edwards’ third quarter run that led to this blow out. The lead stayed at a comfortable double digits for most of the game, but it was Ant’s 12 points that helped to push it out of range.&lt;/p&gt;
  624. &lt;p id="QvUtsk"&gt;Though Gobert remains the biggest story tonight, there’s still smaller notes to keep track of.&lt;/p&gt;
  625. &lt;p id="jQgom8"&gt;Let’s get to it.&lt;/p&gt;
  626. &lt;h3 id="9JpinS"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It’s Time to Worry about Rob Dillingham&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  627. &lt;p id="yLfMAL"&gt;Rob Dillingham has not played any non-garbage-time minutes in the month of March. While that’s not a terribly long time, it continues the trend set by Head Coach Chris Finch earlier this season. If Donte DiVincenzo is playing, it’s more likely than not that Dillingham will not be.&lt;/p&gt;
  628. &lt;p id="3ldQ2y"&gt;The diminutive guard has shown signs of being a sparkplug off the bench but a lack of consistency or leash to work with has proven to make his transition from Kentucky more difficult. &lt;/p&gt;
  629. &lt;p id="qvmb5j"&gt;There’s something to be said about the general body language and clear unhappiness of Dillingham on the bench (which makes sense, he wants to play), but even the on court performance has been less than ideal. &lt;/p&gt;
  630. &lt;p id="mWK96v"&gt;In just three minutes of gametime, Rob had a turnover (could’ve been two if not for a Luka Garza tip drill) and an assist. He missed his only shot of the night.&lt;/p&gt;
  631. &lt;p id="EruHfP"&gt;The question of Dillingham to be a rotation level player is always going to be an uphill battle at his size, but before he can prove to overcome his size, he needs to earn his minutes and he has failed to do that as the third best rookie on the Wolves this season.&lt;/p&gt;
  632. &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  633.        &lt;img alt="NBA: Preseason-Minnesota Timberwolves at New York Knicks" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/L82UgoqDPiDbScJYo7Lw9ZUeNjo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25904814/usa_today_24484884.jpg"&gt;
  634.      &lt;cite&gt;Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  635.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  636. &lt;h3 id="NN1QeX"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Endorsed by Lightning McQueen: No Rust&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  637. &lt;p id="lYNsjE"&gt;Rudy Gobert was back with sixteen points and eight rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo has been shooting over 50% from deep. Julius Randle has missed out on three straight triple doubles by the basketball equivalent of loose change in between the couch cushions.&lt;/p&gt;
  638. &lt;p id="oSKo36"&gt;I know people are going to hate to hear this, but that is probably a sign of good coaching.&lt;/p&gt;
  639. &lt;p id="SvzeKf"&gt;A lot has been said about Chris Finch’s failures as a leader or as a time-out-caller, but the constant preparedness of rookies to play within their expected roles in a system along with the easy reintegration of players after missing time should be enough to write off any real concerns about regular season failures.&lt;/p&gt;
  640. &lt;p id="sgRjlA"&gt;On a more specific note, the return of &lt;a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com"&gt;Knicks&lt;/a&gt; Donte DiVincenzo has to be the most exciting part of this season. After a difficult start to the year, Donte has been absolutely incredible. The &lt;a href="https://www.vuhoops.com"&gt;Villanova&lt;/a&gt; product will need to improve his playmaking to make the starting lineup a good fit, but he will certainly replace Mike Conley sooner rather than later.&lt;/p&gt;
  641. &lt;p id="upJfpz"&gt;Julius Randle’s fit has been much maligned, but his passing clearly enables this team offensively in a way that makes his lack of shooting less of a factor.&lt;/p&gt;
  642. &lt;p id="dB0PKJ"&gt;It’s all relatively exciting stuff. To see the Wolves forego a ramp up period upon getting to full strength raises expectations for a potential playoff series. Time will tell whether they can catch the Warriors for the sixth seed, but they will be an incredibly difficult first round opponent for whoever they can phase.&lt;/p&gt;
  643. &lt;h3 id="L0Uv14"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shooting Concerns Going Forward&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  644. &lt;p id="IUCMB6"&gt;Julius Randle is shooting 31.7% from three this year. Jaden McDaniels is shooting 32.8%. Rudy Gobert is a strong 0 for 0 this season and is the definition of a non-shooter. &lt;/p&gt;
  645. &lt;p id="eSy2FO"&gt;Even with Donte and Ant likely being a top-three or so shooting duo in the league, having three starters that are below average shooters is likely the origin of the spacing problems that shine so brightly because of how good Edwards looks alongside Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo.&lt;/p&gt;
  646. &lt;p id="jQePbK"&gt;This, as much as the quest to keep Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Julius Randle in free agency, is the biggest question going into the summer. Is a trio of comparative non-shooters good enough offensively to allow the starters to work? At times, yes. But, more often than not, there are too many players lurking in the dunkers spot and not enough shooting to go around.&lt;/p&gt;
  647. &lt;p id="NdtRPW"&gt;Just as it is with many Wolves related things, it comes down to when, and if, Naz Reid becomes a starter.&lt;/p&gt;
  648. &lt;h2 id="berkCP"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Up Next&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  649. &lt;p id="060ug8"&gt;The Timberwolves will fly to Denver to take the surging &lt;strong&gt;Nuggets &lt;/strong&gt;and MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokić in an incredibly important game for both teams as the standing war in the West continues. &lt;/p&gt;
  650. &lt;p id="ZGmONy"&gt;It’s yet another rematch of the Western Conference semi-finals, live on ESPN. Tipoff is slated for &lt;strong&gt;Wednesday 3/12&lt;/strong&gt; at &lt;strong&gt;9:00 CST&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  651. &lt;p id="yB8zhO"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  652.  
  653. </content>
  654.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-scores-results/2025/3/9/24381870/nba-final-score-minnesota-timberwolves-san-antonio-spurs-anthony-edwards-deaaron-fox-rudy-gobert"/>
  655.    <id>https://www.canishoopus.com/timberwolves-scores-results/2025/3/9/24381870/nba-final-score-minnesota-timberwolves-san-antonio-spurs-anthony-edwards-deaaron-fox-rudy-gobert</id>
  656.    <author>
  657.      <name>Thilo Latrell Widder</name>
  658.    </author>
  659.  </entry>
  660.  <entry>
  661.    <published>2025-03-08T18:00:00-06:00</published>
  662.    <updated>2025-03-08T18:00:00-06:00</updated>
  663.    <title>Game Preview #66 - Timberwolves vs. Spurs</title>
  664.    <content type="html">  
  665.  
  666.    &lt;figure&gt;
  667.      &lt;img alt="San Antonio Spurs v Minnesota Timberwolves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/T1A1b838olyUZ-Qfhfhj_O3r0AQ=/0x0:4270x2847/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73949455/2194126145.0.jpg" /&gt;
  668.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by David Berding/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  669.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  670.  
  671.  &lt;p&gt;Minnesota looks to add to its four-game winning streak when the Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs roll into Target Center. Can the Wolves take care of business in this Sunday Night Showdown as they look to improve the standing in the Western Conference playoff race?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="Gy1IV1"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Date: &lt;/strong&gt;March 9th, 2025&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Time: &lt;/strong&gt;7:00 PM CST&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Location: &lt;/strong&gt;Target Center&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Television Coverage: &lt;/strong&gt;FanDuel Sports Network North/KARE 11&lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Radio Coverage:&lt;/strong&gt; KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio&lt;/p&gt;
  672. &lt;div class="c-float-right"&gt;&lt;div id="azxp53"&gt;&lt;div data-anthem-component="aside:12299189"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  673. &lt;h3 id="e2hlde"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wolves Look to Close Out Six-Game Stretch Strong Against San Antonio&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  674. &lt;p id="RX0XzI"&gt;Well, here we are. The Timberwolves have done exactly what they needed to do over the pastweek—win games they’re supposed to win. After rattling off four straight victories, including a scrappy two-point escape in Miami, they now have a chance to finish this six-game stretch at 5-1 when they return home to face the Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs on Sunday night.&lt;/p&gt;
  675. &lt;p id="Ezac89"&gt;This game against San Antonio is a classic “business trip” game—one where you show up, take care of business, and don’t let your opponent get any funny ideas about sticking around past halftime. But as we’ve learned all too many times this season, the Wolves have a habit of playing with their food.&lt;/p&gt;
  676. &lt;p id="WSxgRi"&gt;This is a team that will go toe-to-toe with the Nuggets one night and then look completely lost against a lottery-bound Raptors squad the next. We’ve seen them stumble against teams they should beat, let double-digit leads evaporate in the blink of an eye, and turn what should be routine wins into chaotic coin flips in the final minutes.&lt;/p&gt;
  677. &lt;p id="fQJV9B"&gt;So while this is a game the Wolves &lt;em&gt;should&lt;/em&gt; win comfortably, that only happens if they actually bring the right mentality.&lt;/p&gt;
  678. &lt;h2 id="s0jy5f"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where the Wolves Stand in the Playoff Race&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  679. &lt;p id="TpKz1a"&gt;As it stands, Minnesota remains stuck in a four-way logjam with the Warriors, Kings, and Clippers, all fighting to secure at least the No. 6 seed and avoid the dreaded play-in tournament. Thanks to Golden State’s surge since acquiring Jimmy Butler, the Wolves have had a tough time leapfrogging them in the standings, but they’re still within striking distance.&lt;/p&gt;
  680. &lt;p id="7XE5GW"&gt;The difference between the No. 6 seed and No. 7 seed?&lt;/p&gt;
  681. &lt;p id="DgHO3w"&gt; A guaranteed playoff spot vs. potentially having your entire season come down to one bad shooting night in the play-in.&lt;/p&gt;
  682. &lt;p id="XB7YnM"&gt;The Wolves can’t afford to slip up against teams like San Antonio. They’ve already given away enough games this year—they need to keep stacking wins and take advantage of their favorable schedule before things tighten up in the final stretch.&lt;/p&gt;
  683. &lt;h2 id="wdOLtO"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What Went Right (and Wrong) in Miami&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  684. &lt;p id="t7Xoq6"&gt;The Wolves shouldn’t have needed last-second heroics to beat the Heat, but here we are. What should have been a comfortable 10-15 point win turned into an unnecessarily stressful fourth quarter, thanks to some careless turnovers, bad shot selection, and missed free throws.&lt;/p&gt;
  685. &lt;p id="lVOvWx"&gt;At one point in the third quarter, Miami rattled off eight straight points without the ball even crossing halfcourt. That’s an &lt;em&gt;actual&lt;/em&gt; thing that happened. Just one catastrophic sequence of dumb turnovers and sloppy execution.&lt;/p&gt;
  686. &lt;p id="KU8PdC"&gt;The good news? The Wolves still found a way to win. They ramped up their defense in crunch time, Anthony Edwards delivered in the clutch, and despite their mistakes, they showed the resilience to grind out a tough road victory.&lt;/p&gt;
  687. &lt;p id="nhuKt5"&gt;Now, they need to apply those lessons against a San Antonio team that—while not remotely on their level talent-wise—still has a star who can torch them if they’re not careful.&lt;/p&gt;
  688. &lt;h2 id="WS1Lre"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Keys to the Game Against San Antonio&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  689. &lt;h3 id="iQoZU6"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Attack the Paint Without Wemby&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  690. &lt;p id="HflM0r"&gt;The biggest headline in this matchup is the absence of Victor Wembanyama, who is sidelined with a blood clot. His presence alone would have changed this game entirely—Minnesota has struggled at times against teams with elite rim protection, and Wemby is basically a human cheat code when it comes to contesting shots.&lt;/p&gt;
  691. &lt;p id="mEK6Rw"&gt;With Wemby out, the Wolves need to relentlessly attack the paint.&lt;/p&gt;
  692. &lt;ul&gt;
  693. &lt;li id="EejoNV"&gt;Naz Reid and Julius Randle should dominate down low&lt;/li&gt;
  694. &lt;li id="3ukTnq"&gt;Anthony Edwards should be living at the rim&lt;/li&gt;
  695. &lt;li id="0elSls"&gt;Minnesota needs to win the rebounding battle decisively&lt;/li&gt;
  696. &lt;/ul&gt;
  697. &lt;p id="IkHXjF"&gt;If the Wolves are settling for threes instead of exploiting San Antonio’s size disadvantage, that’s a bad sign.&lt;/p&gt;
  698. &lt;h3 id="8L57XK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Take Care of the Ball (Seriously, Just Do It)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  699. &lt;p id="xl17cI"&gt;Minnesota gift-wrapped multiple scoring runs to Miami through turnovers and sloppy play. The Spurs may be a lottery team, but they’re young, athletic, and love to push the tempo. If the Wolves get lazy and start handing them transition opportunities, they’re going to let San Antonio stick around longer than they should.&lt;/p&gt;
  700. &lt;ul&gt;
  701. &lt;li id="j5xSVq"&gt;Julius Randle has to clean up his passing (he had multiple careless turnovers against Miami).&lt;/li&gt;
  702. &lt;li id="VzR62H"&gt;Anthony Edwards can’t get tunnel vision in crunch time.&lt;/li&gt;
  703. &lt;li id="VfVp1D"&gt;Mike Conley needs to be the steady hand he’s been all season.&lt;/li&gt;
  704. &lt;/ul&gt;
  705. &lt;p id="UNlV5d"&gt;Play with purpose, make the right reads, and don’t give the Spurs free points off self-inflicted mistakes.&lt;/p&gt;
  706. &lt;h3 id="Vb04Qs"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Make Sure De’Aaron Fox Doesn’t Go Nuclear&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  707. &lt;p id="Ne0OCC"&gt;The Spurs’ biggest weapon right now is De’Aaron Fox, who was brought in at the deadline to be the backcourt partner to Wemby. Now, with Wemby out, Fox has had to take over full superstar duties.&lt;/p&gt;
  708. &lt;p id="kGwSE3"&gt;The bad news? Fox has historically loved playing against Minnesota and has gone nuclear against them multiple times when he was in Sacramento.&lt;/p&gt;
  709. &lt;p id="A5rSpd"&gt;The good news? The Wolves have the perfect set of defenders to throw at him.&lt;/p&gt;
  710. &lt;p id="05ibFT"&gt;Expect a rotation of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaden McDaniels, and Jaylen Clark to make Fox’s life miserable. If they can keep him out of the paint, force tough mid-range jumpers, and avoid dumb fouls, that alone should be enough to shut down San Antonio’s already limited offense.&lt;/p&gt;
  711. &lt;h3 id="eRuVv3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Keep Moving the Ball on Offense&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  712. &lt;p id="bGkYil"&gt;One of the biggest reasons the Wolves’ offense has looked better recently is because they’ve cut down on hero ball and are actually trusting each other.&lt;/p&gt;
  713. &lt;p id="oDPgTV"&gt;Against Miami, we saw great ball movement, quick passing, and an unselfish approach that led to a balanced scoring attack.&lt;/p&gt;
  714. &lt;p id="yzML1o"&gt;That needs to continue.&lt;/p&gt;
  715. &lt;ul&gt;
  716. &lt;li id="4qmNl7"&gt;Ant will get his shots, but they should come within the flow of the offense.&lt;/li&gt;
  717. &lt;li id="C8dxbB"&gt;Julius Randle has to resist the urge to play ISO bully ball.&lt;/li&gt;
  718. &lt;li id="YoOCbX"&gt;Keep finding open shooters—Donte DiVincenzo, NAW, and Jaden McDaniels have been thriving off kickouts.&lt;/li&gt;
  719. &lt;/ul&gt;
  720. &lt;p id="p5l5oa"&gt;The more the Wolves move the ball and trust their teammates, the more deadly this offense becomes.&lt;/p&gt;
  721. &lt;h2 id="Uos9Qn"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Final Thoughts: This is a Take-Care-of-Business Game&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  722. &lt;p id="nq6ed0"&gt;There’s &lt;strong&gt;zero excuse&lt;/strong&gt; for the Wolves &lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt; to win this game.&lt;/p&gt;
  723. &lt;ul&gt;
  724. &lt;li id="pJ6PHU"&gt;They’re the more talented team.&lt;/li&gt;
  725. &lt;li id="3q3nGg"&gt;They’re at home.&lt;/li&gt;
  726. &lt;li id="KAHXth"&gt;The Spurs are missing their best player.&lt;/li&gt;
  727. &lt;li id="IwNG09"&gt;They have real playoff stakes on the line.&lt;/li&gt;
  728. &lt;/ul&gt;
  729. &lt;p id="3gQVnQ"&gt;If the Wolves lose this one, it’s 100% on them.&lt;/p&gt;
  730. &lt;p id="nWpfWJ"&gt;The focus has to be on getting the job done early. Don’t let San Antonio hang around into the fourth quarter. Don’t mess around and give them hope. Put this game away by halftime, rest the starters in the fourth, and start prepping for Denver.&lt;/p&gt;
  731. &lt;p id="bRZ8M5"&gt;Because that Nuggets game?&lt;/p&gt;
  732. &lt;p id="lMWTXT"&gt; That’s the one that’s going to tell us just how high this team’s ceiling really is.&lt;/p&gt;
  733. &lt;p id="x6augF"&gt;For now?&lt;/p&gt;
  734. &lt;p id="Vpp6g2"&gt; Just win. No drama, no nonsense. &lt;strong&gt;Get it done.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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