The Timberwolves, for the second consecutive season, reached the NBA Western Conference finals.
Yet Minnesota was dispatched, also for the second consecutive season, in five games, with relative ease.
On one hand, it’s a promising sign of consistency and achievement; it’s not easy to get here, especially in the stacked West. This also marks the first time in franchise history that the Timberwolves have reached the conference finals in back-to-back seasons.
But on the other hand, this could also be viewed as a marker of stasis, of plateauing, of struggling to break through to the championship stage.
“I don’t think there’s any larger perspective that we won’t ever get back,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Wednesday after the Thunder eliminated Minnesota in a 124-94 blowout. “I don’t assume that we will, because you’ve got to put the work in. But we were beat by the better team. You fight, you fight and you fight, but they played better — they’re better.
“I’m not one of these guys that takes losses into the summer with me. We’ll learn and we’ll regroup but the better team won this series. I’m proud of our guys and our organization for getting here.”
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But the Oklahoma City Thunder — the youngest team in NBA history to advance to an NBA Finals — appear poised to be a dominant force in the West for years to come.
This all prompts one obvious conclusion: the Timberwolves must evolve. How do they do it?
Get Anthony Edwards more help
In many ways, teams like the Thunder are a terrible matchup for Minnesota. Oklahoma City’s defensive versatility, having players who can switch seamlessly on pick-and-rolls, make it incredibly difficult for Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards. Every time he touched the ball, the Thunder were physical, used their hands to slow him, got him off-balance and made him labor to get shots in the paint.
“I think in the league, the more handlers you have — especially with all the switching, and (the Thunder) with their gaps and stuff like that — you have to have guys that can go somewhere, break the paint, make a play,” Finch said after the game when asked what deficiency Minnesota might have on its roster.
Finch did add that he was excited about the team and cited young players who “didn’t necessarily get the run that maybe they should have this season.” Though he didn’t mention them by name, Finch presumably was talking about rookie first-round guards Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., players who can operate with the ball in their hands.
Coach Chris Finch needs to shake up the offense
The first point feeds into this one. There were far too many times in the Western Conference finals when Minnesota’s offense stagnated, when ball handlers tried to break through the first line of the defense while shooters merely stood in the corners, waiting for the ball to possibly come to them.
It led to choppy, iso actions that often led to turnovers — the Timberwolves averaged 19.3 turnovers per game in losses in the series — and it prevented Edwards from settling into a rhythm.
Finch must prioritize finding ways to get Edwards easier looks, developing undemanding offense that, in theory, should open up looks along the perimeter.
Solidify future with Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
This will be the defining question for Minnesota. Randle, a player for whom they gave up a massive haul in the October Karl-Anthony Towns trade, has a $30.9 million player option this offseason. Randle will also turn 31 in late November.
If he’s looking for long-term security, Randle could opt out with the intention of signing a multi-year deal with Minnesota, or he could test the market. But, given their financial situation, the Timberwolves need to be careful about giving a player who’s somewhat unreliable in the postseason a massive deal.
But Minnesota absolutely needs a secondary scoring option behind Edwards. And the decision to trade Towns for Randle necessitates justifying the move with a contract.
Complicating this question further: sixth man Naz Reid also has a player option this offseason, one worth $15 million. Defensive standout Nickeil Alexander-Walker is set to become a free agent.
Not to mention, there’s a new ownership group in town. What will that group led by Alex Rodriguez be willing to spend once the sale goes final?
It’s a tricky spot for the front office and the way it navigates this question will likely be the determining factor on whether Minnesota makes it back to another conference finals in the near future.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timberwolves must evolve to compete at NBA Finals level
