The Minnesota Timberwolves were gifted with a narrow win over the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day.
However, despite a slim victory margin of victory, the Timberwolves led by as many as 28 points in the second half. Considering that the Mavs are a title-contender with multiple All-Stars, including arguably the most skilled player of all-time, Dallas’ ability to cut that deficit doesn’t necessarily reflect poorly on Minnesota. Nonetheless, taking their foot off the gas put them in an unnecessarily uncomfortable position.
Timberwolves Leader Anthony Edwards Has New Message Ahead Of New Year
Following the game, Anthony Edwards addressed the media, offering insight into the state of the team. The Timberwolves leader has been candid and outspoken about their performance throughout the season. This time though, Edwards had a milder response than he normally does.
“We got to have patience to be able to get it together,” he says (h/t The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Chris Hine). “Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it looks bad, and we still trying to figure it out. I think patience is what’s going to take us over the top.”
Anthony Edwards: “We got to have patience to be able to get it together. Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it looks bad, and we still trying to figure it out. I think patience is what’s going to take us over the top.”
— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) December 25, 2024
That type of mature outlook suggests that the 23-year-old is growing both on and off the court. It could also mean that the team is building chemistry, which takes time no matter the process. To that point, Minnesota was on a three game losing streak heading into Wednesday. Yet, this has been their best month, as they’re now 6-4 in December.
They’re not beating down the doors of the NBA Finals at 15-14. However, NBA champions are decided in the summer, not the winter. The Timberwolves have time on their side even though the pressure might have them sweating under their collars.
A Timely Reminder
Nearly 30 games into the season, Minnesota’s problems have largely come down to camaraderie and containment. Julius Randle’s fit has been a talking point throughout the season.
He’s more ball-dominant than Karl-Anthony Towns was, which the team has had to adjust to. His outside jumper isn’t as pristine as Towns’s, which has changed the geometry of the offense. Lastly, his defensive effort continues to be inconsistent, which is particularly problematic for a team that prides itself on their defensive performance.
Wednesday’s matchup reminded everyone why the Timberwolves traded for him.
No ‘I’ In Team
In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Edwards was overburdened with offensive creation, lacking another on-ball scorer beside him. This was underscored during the Western Conference Finals, as Dallas defeated Minnesota with relative ease.
When Mavs guard Luka Doncic went down on Christmas Day, Kyrie Irving found himself in the same position Edwards was just a few months ago. Despite the eight-time All-Star scoring a game-high 39 points, Dallas lost. Conversely, Edwards and Randle were able to combine for 49 points.
They say two heads are better than one and, in this case, two shot-creators were better than one.
Randle might not always be efficient from beyond the arc. Regardless, he’s still a talented one-on-one scorer. So long as he continues to make defenses play him honest by finding the open man when they load up on him, he’ll continue to be in those advantageous positions. Furthermore, passing the rock certainly won’t hurt the team’s chemistry.
Julius Randle today:
23 PTS
10 REB
8 AST
3-5 3PThe first player in franchise history with a 20/10/5 Christmas game. pic.twitter.com/ujC6WZOEH8
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 25, 2024
In a way, Randle is a remix of 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame nominee Carmelo Anthony. In his heyday, Anthony was an exceptional scorer, especially in the midrange. However, he had a tendency to develop tunnel vision, which negatively impacted the ball movement. He left even more to be desired defensively.
Unfortunately, Anthony didn’t buy into making necessary changes to his approach until it was too late. Randle can’t make the same mistake.
Clock’s Still Ticking
Randle’s clock is ticking because the Timberwolves could eventually trade him, even ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline.
Minnesota’s options would be limited, as they’re above the second apron. Yet, the Detroit Pistons stand out as a potential landing spot due to their cap space and Tobias Harris’s play. The Portland Trail Blazers are another option if they want to pry Jerami Grant away from them. Even the Washington Wizards could swing a trade if they’re ready to move off of Jordan Poole.
With each of those teams hard-pressed to get a first round pick for the aforementioned players, the Timberwolves are left with an open-ended question.
