The concept of depth can often be misunderstood when it comes to the playoffs. Having multiple options at the end of your bench to substitute in when a superior player is sitting out is valuable in team building. But things tend to change once you get to the playoffs and rotations tighten. A team with high-quality depth and bench players has a significant advantage, which has played out in the first two games of the series. Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are two of the best Wolves bench players and two of the league’s best role players this season. Reid is the Sixth Man of the Year. He ..read more

The Minnesota Timberwolves took the tarps off the upper-level seats behind the baskets, and the crowd of 19,478 created a skull-cracking cacophony before Game 1. It didn’t matter that the Phoenix Suns had swept the regular-season series, including a 125-106 win a week earlier. It was the playoffs. No time like the present. The Target Center jumbotron panned to Mike Conley, 36, who knows that the Wolves have a unique opportunity more than anybody. Next, it focused on Anthony Edwards, who oozes charisma. Karl-Anthony Towns flashed a million-dollar smile. Rudy Gobert seemed mildly amused. Jaden M ..read more

After scoring a playoff career-high 25 points, Jaden McDaniels is answering questions at the post-game podium. A reporter asks what it’s like playing defense with Anthony Edwards and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. “Every time I go on the court and I see them two, I just be like, ‘Who you wanna guard?’” McDaniels said with a brief smile. “It don’t matter which person we guard. It’s great to have.” Across the hall, Frank Vogel answers a question about the Phoenix Suns’ demeanor. “Poor,” he said, “yeah, we didn’t keep our composure.” That pretty much summed up the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 105-93 win on ..read more

Last year, the eight-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves crawled into the playoffs after a Play-In Tournament victory over the tenth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. It was Minnesota’s second time making the playoffs in as many seasons. But they had to play the first-seeded Denver Nuggets, equipped with the lethal dyad of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokić, in the first round. The Wolves weathered Karl-Anthony Towns’ 52-game absence, had a banged-up Rudy Gobert, and made a mid-season swap of point guards with the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline a year ago. As they approached a fully healthy Nuggets team in ..read more

Chelanga and Dylan recap game 1 of Wolves Suns and discuss the other 7 series from what they’ve seen so far. Don’t forget to buy your Slomosexual T-Shirt at jakesgraphs.com/cnd with the Promo Code “rollcall”!   ..read more

Bradley Beal told Chris Finch that he didn’t think the Minnesota Timberwolves played hard enough after the Phoenix Suns’ 125-105 win over the Wolves in Game 82. Phoenix’s win came nine days after beating the Timberwolves 97-87 in the desert, completing a three-game regular-season sweep. The Vegas betting lines opened even between the 3-seeded Wolves and 6-seeded Suns, but they favored Phoenix as the week went along. However, the Timberwolves won 120-95 in Game 1, and Suns coach Frank Vogel emptied the bench with 3:37 left to play. ESPN favors the Wolves to win the series after Game 1. “We just ..read more

A dejected Bradley Beal sits at the post-game podium after the Minnesota Timberwolves thumped the Phoenix Suns 120-95. “Obviously, we’re pissed off about the loss,” Beal said, “but we’ll motivate ourselves and know we can play better.” Down the hallway, Edwards spoke matter-of-factly about Minnesota’s win. “Beal told our coach that he don’t think we play hard enough,” Ant said, referring to something Beal said after Game 82. The Suns swept Minnesota in the regular season, 3-0, including dismantling them 125-106 in Game 82. However, the Wolves studied the tape from those games and adjusted acco ..read more

Chelanga and Dylan start off talking about Drake and end with a Suns series preview. Don’t forget to buy your Slomosexual T-Shirt at jakesgraphs.com/cnd with the Promo Code “rollcall”!   ..read more

A raspy-voiced Anthony Edwards approached the podium late Thursday afternoon after receiving treatment. Dane Moore asked if he was feeling a little sick. “Yeah, for sure,” he said. “But I’ll be alright.” Edwards responded with his trademark smile. Downplaying injuries and illnesses to avoid making excuses has become an Edwards staple. Per Moore, Naz Reid has even joked about Edwards going to the locker room with injury as “Pierce-ing it,” a reference to Paul Pierce‘s famous wheelchair departure during Game 1 of the 2008 Finals. However, these injuries appear to have impacted Edwards’ play sinc ..read more

There was a scratch in Anthony Edwards’ voice when he spoke to the media after practice on Wednesday. He had been in the training room, working through his ailments before the playoffs begin on Saturday. The Minnesota Timberwolves play the Phoenix Suns, the only team that swept them in the regular season. Edwards grew up idolizing Kevin Durant, and the Wolves will likely put him on the 35-year-old scorer. “What makes it different from watching him when I was young?” Edwards said, repeating a reporter’s question. “It’s that he’s actually really that good. You know how you’d be like, ‘Man, he ai ..read more