The Western Conference has been highly competitive for many years now, and there’sno shortage of teams expected to compete for the playoffs next season. How the Minnesota Timberwolves stack up against the field is still debatable, but it’s no secret they expect to be in the championship picture to some degree.
While hardly anyone would call them the title favorites, former NBA guard Jamal Crawford has a lot of positive things to say in his latest review of the team. Speaking on the ‘Cousins’ podcast with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, Crawford pointed to their new backcourt duo as the biggest reason they are poised for success.
“That T-Wolves thing got me excited, I can’t lie to you,” said Crawford. “I’m watching Melo and Ant-Man; they’re like kindred spirits. You could tell they were fans of each other, too. I think they were around the same High School class, and you could tell their chemistry is something different. I bet you they’re like ‘we’re gonna spend the rest of our career together.’ They are both fun, both bring an energy, both bring a spirit. They have that respect for each other.”
Even before this summer, the Timberwolves were on the rise. They made the Conference Finals twice over the past three seasons, coming to within a few wins of an NBA Finals berth. So far, that’s as far as they’ve gotten, but their new acquisitions could be enough to change that.
Besides Josh Green, they added star point guard LaMelo Ball to join Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels. With averages of 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists on 40.7% shooting last season, LaMelo may be Edwards’ most talented teammate, and he reminds Crawford (a three-time Sixth Man of the Year) of his own game.
“Today, I’m gonna say LaMelo. Just his freedom, just how free he is,” said Crawford. “The way he pass, the way he smile on the court all the time His his flow…”
As a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA player, Anthony Edwards is the leader and face of the Timberwolves, but LaMelo will play a critical role as the primary playmaker and ball handler for the team. And while finding that chemistry with Edwards could take time, they are already taking steps to expedite the process.
This summer, reports claim that Edwards and Ball have gone out of their way to set up a private mini camp, where they will get to know each other and learn how to play together. It’s a small gesture, but a positive and necessary step to setting the right tone and building a championship culture in the locker room.
So while the Timberwolves may have struck out on some of the biggest names this summer (like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo), they are feeling pretty good with where they stand. They have playoff experience, depth, and one of the best backcourts in the NBA. If they can stay healthy this summer, there’s no question the Timberwolves will be among the biggest threats to win the title.
