The Wolves’ magical 23-24 campaign continues- in historic fashion. But what happens now?
Wolves fans, take a moment to savor this. The Minnesota Timberwolves have achieved a historic feat, sweeping the Phoenix Suns 4-0 in the first round of the 2024 Playoffs. This victory is a complete turnaround from the regular season, where the Suns dominated the Wolves, winning 3 straight times, all by double-digits. But in the post-season, the Wolves roared back, winning four straight games and becoming the first team to advance to the second round. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the only other team with a chance at a sweep, currently leading 3-0 against the New Orleans Pelicans.
So what’s next? The Timberwolves will go on to play against the winner of the Denver Nuggets/LA Lakers series. Denver is currently up 3-1. If they win the next game, the Nuggets-Wolves series will start on May 4th. If the Lakers take another game, then it will start on May 6th. It’s worth noting that no team in NBA History has come back from down 0-3, And the Lakers won game 4 to avoid elimination. They have a chance to win three more before Denver wins another, and if that happens, then Minnesota will face LeBron James and the LA Lakers.
The new era of Timberwolves basketball is here, and it’s shining brightly with the star power of 22-year-old superstar Anthony Edwards. Edwards is making waves in the league, already surpassing 97.4% of all-time NBA Players with his 40+ Point playoff games. He’s not just making a statement, he’s leading the Wolves into the second round of the playoffs, a feat they haven’t achieved since 2003-2004. This is only the second time in franchise history that they have made it past the first round of the playoffs, and they did it with their first playoff sweep. Edwards also leads the Timberwolves’ franchise in 30+ point playoff games, with last night marking his 8th playoff game posting more than 30 points.
In this playoff series, Anthony Edwards averaged 31.0 PPG (points per game), 8.0 RPG (rebounds per game), and 6.3 APG (Assists per game), with 2 steals & 0.8 blocks per game. His shooting splints have also risen in the post-season, shooting 51% from the field, nearly 44% from 3-point range, and about 84% from the free throw line. Just an absolute dominant series for the guy who will most likely be the face of the NBA for years to come.
