The Minnesota Timberwolves’ season from hell continued Friday night time as they misplaced to the Chicago Bulls in double extra time and will have misplaced Anthony Edwards for the rest of the common season to an ankle damage. There hasn’t been an official replace from the crew. Edwards returned to the bench in a strolling boot towards the tip of the sport and briefly advised reporters he was going to be effective.
I can admire Ant’s angle and toughness. He’s performed in 71 of 71 video games whereas different stars can barely be bothered to play seven straight. There are solely three weeks left on the NBA common season calendar, and the T-Wolves are a recreation out of the playoffs and a recreation away from lacking the play-in.
However haven’t any concern, Minnesota, backup must be arriving any time. (Hey, Karl, that’s your cue.) Karl-Anthony Cities is near getting back from a calf damage that has lingered for months. The replace from two days in the past was that KAT shall be again within the “coming weeks.” No matter meaning higher imply he’ll be again on the ground quickly.
The Good
All issues thought of, it’s nonetheless not that unhealthy as a result of the underside of the West is abysmal. Minnesota has to stave off the Jazz, Pelicans, and Blazers for the 12 seed. Two of these organizations are in a free fall, and Danny Ainge is doing all the pieces in his energy to maintain the third crew within the lottery.
Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert are greater than able to enjoying .500 basketball for a brief span, and hopefully, it’s lengthy sufficient to bridge the hole till Cities returns. Oh and when that occurs, no matter points Gobert and Cities had sharing the ground collectively higher magically disappear.
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The Unhealthy
Minnesota with out Edwards is the 2021 Utah Jazz however older and with out Donovan Mitchell, and that’s about as miserable of a basketball scenario as you’ll discover. The entrance workplace gave away one million draft picks for Gobert, and the one argument it was a sensible transfer is that he’s the final cornerstone standing.
D’Angelo Russell is a Laker, KAT’s pure state is nursing an damage, and the brightest spot of all of the spots crumbled to the court docket Friday night time and screamed “TIMEOUT!” like he was attempting to cease a struggle after getting belted by his older brother too arduous.
The entrance workplace has already tried to retcon the narrative as soon as, and it didn’t take, so if this season ends abruptly, the following steps may very well be extra drastic.
The Ugly
The one method the Wolves keep away from an offseason of pundits questioning who’s sad and followers making faux KAT trades is that if they get into the playoffs and win a spherical. It’s doable, but it surely’ll take Edwards returning for the playoffs, and Cities going ballistic as quickly as doable for so long as doable.
Any time we marvel which franchise is the gold customary for mismanagement, Minnesota provides up a season like this, or the 12 months after the final time they made the playoffs when Jimmy Butler hacked his method out of Minneapolis with a machete. Then that prompts individuals to ask, “Weren’t you the crew that took two level guards not named Steph Curry forward of Steph Curry?” And issues proceed to spiral from there.
So, better of luck, T-Wolves followers. And simply know, it’s not your fault.
We really really feel unhealthy for Minnesota sports activities followers, however not sufficient to put in writing good issues about Kirk Cousins. Learn extra Timberwolves and Vikings information on Deadspin’s crew pages.
