Minnesota Timberwolves @ Boston Celtics
Date: November 24, 2024
Time: 2:30 PM CST
Location: TD Garden
Television coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio coverage: Wolves App/iHeart Radio

The Timberwolves face their biggest task yet: a date with the Celtics in Boston

If you’re a Timberwolves fan, you’ve probably had enough of the history lessons this week. First, the team failed to eradicate their two-decade losing streak in Toronto, falling flat against a Raptors squad that couldn’t beat them. Now the Wolves head to another haunted house: the TD Garden, where they haven’t won since 2005. At the time, Kevin Garnett was coming off his MVP peak, Sam Cassell was still doing the big ball dance, and Latrell Sprewell was somehow both feeding his family and draining threes. That’s right, it’s been almost twenty years since Minnesota left Boston with a W.

But this isn’t just any game. It’s a measuring stick, a check and maybe even a season-defining moment. The Celtics, the reigning NBA champions, are a powerhouse. On paper, the Timberwolves shouldn’t stand a chance. But if there’s one thing this Wolves team has shown, it’s their ability to play better (or worse) than the competition.

A story about two wolves

The Timberwolves’ season has been marked by maddening inconsistency. This is a team that has taken care of heavyweights like the Denver Nuggets but stumbled against bottom-feeders like the Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors. Their 8-7 record feels like a microcosm of their identity crisis. Are they a Western Conference participant? Or are they just a frustratingly talented team that can’t get out of their way?

Julius Randle, one of the few bright spots during this turbulent stretch, did not hold back after the loss in Toronto. “We can’t look at, ‘Oh, we’re playing the Raptors.’ They’re 3-12 or whatever, and okay, we have an easy one and we can worry about our individual things,” Randle said. “We can’t do that. We have to be professional and understand that it’s about us as a team, coming out every night, building the right habits and doing the right things.”

Randle isn’t wrong. The Wolves have flashed moments of brilliance, but those flashes have been sandwiched between lackluster efforts, careless turnovers and defensive plays that would make a high school coach cringe. They’ve played games against weaker opponents, only to be embarrassed when those teams decided they actually wanted to win. Tomorrow’s game in Boston will determine whether Randle’s comments have lit a fire under his teammates – or if the Wolves are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

Keys to the game

1. Defense, defense, defense

The Wolves’ defense was as streaky as their three-point shooting. That won’t work against a Celtics team that can hurt you from anywhere on the floor. Jaden McDaniels will have to channel his inside safety to tie up Jayson Tatum, and Rudy Gobert will have to dominate the paint to prevent easy buckets. No more missed rotations. You no longer have to give up open looks to role players. This has to be their most focused defensive effort of the season.

2. Anthony Edwards’ moment

If the Wolves have any chance of eradicating the upset, Anthony Edwards needs to play like the star we know he can be. This is a golden opportunity for Ant to go up against two of the best wingers in the league: Tatum and Brown. He has the talent to rise to the occasion; the question is whether he can keep it all together for 48 minutes.

3. Ball movement and shot selection

When Mike Conley is on the floor, the Wolves offense can be humming. When isn’t he? It’s like watching a bad pickup game at your local YMCA. Whether or not Conley suits up (he’s listed as a game-time decision), the Wolves should avoid their bad habit of just throwing up threes and instead focus on moving the ball and finding cans with a high percentage. Boston’s defense will punish lazy possessions.

The gauntlet begins

This game isn’t just about ending a 19-year drought in Boston. It’s about setting the tone for the most crucial part of the Wolves’ season. After tomorrow, they face Houston, Sacramento and the Clippers in three straight home games, two of which will determine their qualification for the NBA Cup. Then it’s a December slate with both LA teams, three matchups with the Warriors and a Christmas Day showdown with the Dallas Mavericks, aka the Wolves’ kryptonite. Oh, and don’t forget the New Year’s Eve clash with the Thunder.

This is the point where the Wolves either rise to the occasion or see their seasonal spiral. There is no more room for mistakes, no more excuses about gelling or adapting to new pieces. If they don’t give their best every night, they will find themselves buried in the standings come January.

Hope springs eternal

Despite all the frustration, there is still reason for hope. We saw the Wolves at their best, playing suffocating defense, sharing the ball and letting their stars shine. They have the talent to be a top team in the West, but talent alone doesn’t win games. Effort, focus and consistency do.

Can the Wolves finally win in Boston? Can they prove to themselves – and the rest of the league – that they belong in the conversation with teams like the Celtics? Or will this be just another chapter in the Timberwolves’ long book of missed opportunities?

The gauntlet starts tomorrow. Let’s see if they’re ready to run it.

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