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Timberwolves’ Tom Connelly reveals how Spurs, Thunder have changed Minnesota’s equation
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- Timberwolves’ Tom Connelly reveals how Spurs, Thunder have changed Minnesota’s equation
Timberwolves' Tom Connelly reveals how Spurs, Thunder have changed Minnesota's equation appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Western Conference is defined by two tiers: the tier where the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder are, and the rest. It was crystal clear from the regular season that the two teams were simply a cut above the rest of the conference. Many teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves , were ultimately rendered helpless against the two teams.
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It's clear that the presence of both the Thunder and the Spurs have warped the league's plans. Timberwolves general manager Tom Connelly talked about how these two teams have completely shifted the dynamic in the Western Conference and how they've forced their opponents to be proactive in the offseason .
"I think the equation changes when you see the two teams playing in the Western Conference [Finals] right now and how good they are," Connelly said, per Dane Moore. "We got smacked by Oklahoma City last year, we got smacked by San Antonio … We know our competition is not gonna sit still and nor will we."
The Timberwolves had a successful regular season in normal circumstances. They went 49-33 in the regular season, a record that would usually net them at least one series with home-court advantage. However, the West is just so competitive this season that an almost 50-win team was merely the sixth seed. Even though the Wolves were considered a serious playoff contender, they were never seen as a threat to the top two teams in the league.
That much was clear in the playoffs. The Wolves did take two games against the Spurs, but one of those games was a game where Victor Wembanyama was ejected. In the games where Wemby did play, the star's game-warping presence was too much for Minnesota to overcome. There are obvious issues in the Timberwolves' roster that is holding them back from competing with the likes of the Spurs and the Thunder.
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Does this statement from Connelly indicate that the Timberwolves are going for a big move this offseason? Perhaps. This Wolves core has stuck around for a long time, and it hasn't netted them a Finals appearance yet.
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