{"id":73896,"date":"2024-04-18T15:51:39","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T19:51:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=73896"},"modified":"2024-04-30T13:11:53","modified_gmt":"2024-04-30T17:11:53","slug":"nba-playoffs-2024-timberwolves-vs-suns-preview-and-prediction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/04\/18\/nba-playoffs-2024-timberwolves-vs-suns-preview-and-prediction\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Playoffs 2024: Timberwolves Vs. Suns Preview and Prediction"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Suns-Timberwolves is one of the most intriguing first-round matchups. The Timberwolves took the league by storm and surpassed all expectations en route to earning the three-seed. While the Suns’ season was largely filled with disappointment they were projected to be a top-three team but narrowly avoided the Play-In Tournament. Nevertheless, their talent can’t be ignored and Phoenix is even slight favorites to win the series according to DraftKings<\/a>. Let’s dive into this series look at the best NBA bet<\/a> for this series.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

NBA Playoffs 2024: Timberwolves Vs. Suns Preview and Prediction<\/h2>\n

Regular Season Meetings\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

In the regular season, the Suns went a perfect 3-0 against the Timberwolves.\u00a0<\/span>Impressively<\/span>\u00a0winning all three games by at least 10 points\u00a0<\/span>including<\/span>\u00a0a 19-point victory on the last game of the regular season. The Suns’ elite shot creation from Kevin Durant<\/a>, Devin Booker<\/a>, and Bradley Beal<\/a> pose a difficult matchup for the Timberwolves. Given the results from the regular season the Suns might be perfectly suited to take down the Timberwolves.\u00a0<\/span>Additionally, in the regular season games,\u00a0Anthony\u00a0<\/a><\/span>Edwards<\/span><\/a>\u00a0averaged<\/a> just 14 points per game. Far below his 25.9 season average.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Timberwolves need star-level production out of\u00a0<\/span>Edwards<\/span>\u00a0or this series is already a sealed deal. During their regular season matchups, the Timberwolves shot<\/a> just 28 percent from three while the Suns shot 47 percent. On the year\u00a0Minnesota\u00a0shot 38.7 percent from beyond the arc\u00a0which\u00a0ranks<\/a> top three in the league and just a notch above the Suns. It could be argued simply the three-point disparity evening out and Edwards playing at a star-level will be enough for the Timberwolves to win the series.<\/span><\/p>\n

Playstyles<\/h3>\n

The Suns have the 8th-ranked<\/a> offense in the league compared to the Timberwolves 16th-ranked offense.\u00a0While this\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0appear to be\u00a0the biggest gap, the Suns’ trio of elite shot creators adds to this disparity.\u00a0Outside of\u00a0Edwards\u00a0the Timberwolves don’t have many elite creators and will have trouble matching the Suns’ elite offensive production.\u00a0This\u00a0is especially true considering that Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a> has only played in two games post-injury.<\/a>\u00a0In both games his play wasn’t up to his elite standards averaging<\/a> just 10 ppg on poor shooting from the field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Suns’<\/span>\u00a0elite perimeter play and three-point shooting is a matchup nightmare for Minnesota even despite their top-ranked<\/a> defense. The Suns’ are second in the league in mid-range attempts. <\/a>\u00a0As a result they can exploit the Timberwolves’ defense\u00a0<\/span>which<\/span>\u00a0focuses on stopping rim pressure and perimeter shots while giving up more mid-range shots. The Suns’ elite mid-range scoring notably will neutralize\u00a0Rudy Gobert’s <\/a>defensive impact.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Suns have their playoff experience\u00a0<\/span>gives<\/span>\u00a0them another massive advantage. Durant and Booker have more playoff experience than this young Timberwolves team. Last year\u00a0<\/span>Durant<\/span>\u00a0averaged<\/a> 29 ppg, 8.7 rpg, and 5.5 apg while Booker averaged<\/a> 33.7, 7.2 apg, and 4.8 rpg. This level of scoring and history of being elite playoff performers makes the KD and Booker duo an impossible matchup.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Matchups<\/h3>\n

From a matchup perspective, the Suns’ floor spacing is challenging for a bigger Timberwolves squad. Based on regular-season\u00a0<\/span>meetings<\/span>\u00a0Edwards will likely draw the Durant matchup<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>while<\/span>\u00a0Jaden McDaniels<\/a> will likely defend Booker<\/a>. H<\/span>owever,<\/span>\u00a0McDaniels will likely guard Durant more during this series especially considering his elite length and size. <\/span><\/p>\n

The real problem for the Timberwolves is that one of the bigs\u00a0<\/span>will have to<\/span>\u00a0guard either Beal or Grayson Allen<\/a>. \u00a0Gobert will defend Jusuf Nurkic<\/a> and provide necessary rim protection\u00a0<\/span>so<\/span>\u00a0Towns will likely guard Allen.\u00a0<\/span>This perimeter matchup is tough for Towns and could lead to Allen\u00a0<\/span>who<\/span>\u00a0is one<\/span>\u00a0of the\u00a0<\/span>league’s<\/span>\u00a0best shooters\u00a0<\/span><\/a>getting<\/span>\u00a0more open looks.<\/span>\u00a0Sixth-man Naz Reid<\/a> will also have to defend the perimeter more often than\u00a0<\/span>he\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0used to.\u00a0<\/span>Furthermore<\/span>, Mike Conley<\/a> will likely have to guard Beal\u00a0<\/span>which is a mismatch based on Conley’s size and age. Ultimately this could create several problems for the Timberwolves defense and gives the Suns a massive advantage.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>On the Suns’ defensive side, Durant can easily match up with one of\u00a0Minnesota\u2019s\u00a0big likely Towns. They also have the wing personnel throw multiple looks at Edwards which was effective during the regular season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Minnesota’s Path To Win<\/h3>\n

While the Suns’ advantages are\u00a0<\/span>clear<\/span>\u00a0you\u00a0<\/span>can\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0count out the Timberwolves.\u00a0<\/span>Throughout the\u00a0<\/span>year<\/span>\u00a0the<\/span>\u00a0Timberwolves were in a three-way race for the number one seed.<\/span>\u00a0If Towns was fully\u00a0<\/span>healthy<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>there\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0a good chance that the Timberwolves would be the one seed right now. Additionally, their top-ranked defense can swing a series even if the matchup is not ideal. <\/span><\/p>\n

Defensively\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0Timberwolves will have\u00a0<\/span>to constantly switch up looks and slow down the game<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>If Minnesota can set the tone and control the series with stifling defense and slow\u00a0<\/span>pace<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0a series they<\/span>\u00a0can win.<\/span>\u00a0However, finding creative ways to neutralize the Suns’ perimeter play will be\u00a0<\/span>key<\/span>\u00a0for the Timberwolves defense to have this level of impact. Similarly, the Timberwolves have to turn their size and physicality into a positive.\u00a0<\/span>The Timberwolves will use their size both at the rim and rebounding, especially during the non-Nurkic<\/a> minutes. Even if they give up a lot on the perimeter Minnesota can make this size positive and punish the smaller Phoenix. Overall this<\/span>\u00a0gives the Timberwolves a possible advantage and path to win.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Last Word<\/h3>\n

This<\/span>\u00a0series has everything you could ask for in a first-round matchup and it has upset written all over it. The Suns have almost every advantage in this matchup\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>Towns\u2019<\/span>\u00a0health makes it more challenging for Minnesota. Regardless, the Timberwolves are an incredibly talented team and will make this a competitive series. \u00a0The Suns’ offense and perimeter play are\u00a0<\/span>perfectly<\/span>\u00a0suited to neutralize the Timberwolves’ elite defense. Ultimately the matchup advantages the Suns have in this series can’t be ignored.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Prediction: Suns in 6 \u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Suns-Timberwolves is one of the most intriguing first-round matchups. The Timberwolves took the league by storm and surpassed all expectations en route to earning the three-seed. While the Suns’ season was largely filled with disappointment they were projected to be a top-three team but narrowly avoided the Play-In Tournament. Nevertheless, their talent can’t be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4779,"featured_media":73917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,21,28],"tags":[49186,2109,311,352,69,596,394],"class_list":["post-73896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-timberwolves","category-suns","tag-2024-nba-playoffs","tag-anthony-edwards","tag-bradley-beal","tag-devin-booker","tag-kevin-durant","tag-nba-playoffs","tag-rudy-gobert"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4779"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73896"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73896\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}