Eight-time All-Star predicts Timberwolves will make NBA Finals
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards (1) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32).
When the Timberwolves won their first playoff series in 20 years Sunday, the consensus in NBA circles was that they had already exceeded expectations for the 2023-24 season.
Dwight Howard thinks the Timberwolves are just getting started, though.
Soon after Minnesota swept Phoenix, the former eight-time NBA All-Star predicted that Anthony Edwards and Co. are bound for the NBA Finals in June.
Howard could be onto something here as the Timberwolves prepare to face either the Nuggets or Lakers in the next round.
Chris Finch’s squad fared well against both teams in the regular season, splitting the series 2-2 against the defending champions and going 3-1 against LeBron James and Co.
The Timberwolves forced the Nuggets, a team that rarely makes mistakes, into committing 15 turnovers per game during those four matchups. Furthermore, Nikola Jokic was held to just 4.3 assists per game, meaning the Nuggets star couldn’t truly figure out or dissect the top-ranked Minnesota defense.
As for the Lakers, the Timberwolves shot 50 percent from three during their three wins over Darvin Ham’s team, exploiting the weak perimeter defense of D’Angelo Russell and other Lakers guards.
There’s every indication that the Timberwolves can beat both the Nuggets and Lakers.
That said, the playoffs are a different animal as the Suns found out. Despite being the lower seed in the No. 3 versus No. 6 matchup, the Suns went into the series as the betting favorites after winning three of their four regular-season games against the Timberwolves. Yet, they had no answer for Anthony Edwards and Co.
If Howard’s prediction comes true, the Timberwolves would have made their deepest postseason run in franchise history. Their only conference finals appearance came in 2004.
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