The Timberwolves have harsh lessons to learn before they can become championship caliber

DALLAS — High-stakes playoff series are the ultimate mirror, the revelations a player can make with himself, and about his team, are laid bare.

And when we look into this playoff mirror, several things illuminate.

Like Jason Kidd being a championship-level coach, with no equivocation or second thought.

Like Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving being one of the most potent big-game duos we’ve seen in recent memory, now five wins away from the ultimate validation.

And more importantly, like the Minnesota Timberwolves, who see the harsh playoff lessons they must learn before they can become championship caliber.

The Dallas Mavericks will advance to the NBA Finals, barring something historic or unforeseen, in the coming days. The Timberwolves, by virtue of a 116-107 loss that puts them down three games to zero, will start the process of evaluation.

When you lose three straight close games to the same opponent in similar fashion, it says a lot about you, more than it does the opponent. Young teams, or teams with heavy inexperience, have a hard time closing games. It’s been the reason the Mavericks have won all three games thus far and the Timberwolves can’t crack the code.

The Timberwolves will lament the missed plays; they’ll lament the on-the-fly basketball IQ lacking in critical moments, ones they excelled in during the first two rounds of these playoffs. They’ll hear the roar from the American Airlines Center crowd, the chants of “sweep” that rained down in the final seconds of this loss.

Minnesota trailed 107-105 with 3:21 left but didn’t score another field goal until Anthony Edwards’ layup with 15 seconds left and the game decided. The team had one field goal in the last three minutes of Game 2, when it squandered a chance to tie the series.

Ditto in Game 1.

It’s becoming mental here, and despite the success in their road to get this far, it’s worth examining. They’re not quitting, they’re making adjustments in how they’re defending, and making extra efforts — but it’s the little things that feel so ginormous.

“If it were the opposite, if you were winning those games, you’d feel…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/the-timberwolves-have-harsh-lessons-to-learn-before-they-can-become-championship-caliber-062059359.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-05-27 06:20:59

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