Celebrate Thanksgiving with a smile? This is the best gift for NBA players. In a very positive collective turn in recent days, the Minnesota boys have offered themselves a good start before the turkey: 115-101 victory in Indiana, which makes 5 straight wins for Rudy Gobert and his band.
The house stats of this five in a row is right here
Wolves best game of the season?
Maybe not, but the most convincing, we are at the top.
About ten days ago, eyebrows were raised in the NBA when the subject of Minnesota was brought up. A complicated start, players who do not find their automatisms with this new workforce, it felt more pressure and stress than pleasure and joy of living. And then, aperitif obliges, the first good results fell. A road win in Cleveland despite a huge Darius Garland, two displays in Orlando and Philadelphia, then a punch on the table once morest the Heat. With 4 consecutive successes, more or less reassuring depending on everyone’s point of view, Chris Finch’s men moved to Indiana.
Not the smallest of cases, the Pacers being on 5 straight wins and Top 4 of this early Eastern Conference.
What we saw on Wednesday evening was, collectively, extremely accomplished on the part of Wolves.
We can feel the game sheet, we can review the meeting, but in the management of the opponent, in the switch of intensity that took place, Minnesota managed to do what we really expected for a very long time: we show what this team is really capable of. Faced with snappy Pacers, with Myles Turner on fire, there was no panic as we have seen some times this season. No, instead of shooting themselves in the paws by looking down, the Wolves have increased their concentration, their sense of collective, and it’s a real wave that has fallen on the face of Rick Carlisle and his players.
Since this Aperitif?
5 games, 5 wins.
You’re welcome ???? https://t.co/0EP5lPju2G
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) November 24, 2022
An excellent defense on Tyrese Haliburton by Jaden McDaniels and his gang (4/15 shooting), the small contributions of Austin Rivers and Kyle Anderson off the bench, everyone rolled up their sleeves to make sure the main thing, that is to say the victory of the franchise. How not to sketch a smile, seeing D’Angelo Russell give himself in defense? How can you not shake your head positively, watching Karl-Anthony Towns turn into a hoop cleaner in the third quarter? By adding a patient Anthony Edwards with the ball in hand and a Rudy Gobert who took a good big place on both sides of the field, you therefore had what was mentioned above: what was expected of the potential of these Wolves.
And in addition to the win? The sheet speaks for itself:
- 23 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists for KAT
- 21 points, 16 rebounds and 15 penetrations affected by Rudy
- 15 points and 12 assists for D’Angelo
- 19 points pour Anthony Edwards
- 18 points and 4 blocks for Jaden McDaniels
Wasn’t that the ideal envisaged this summer when the big transfers were made?
Of course, a better Anthony Edwards in scoring will help in future meetings, and his heat stroke once morest Miami following being heated by the referee reminded us of all the potential of the guy, who had already soiled Orlando a few days before. But in a start to the season that hasn’t been easy or easy, Minnesota can approach Thanksgiving with a smile. Yes, there is still a lot of work to do, but no, we are no longer in the doldrums of early November. And that’s all we wanted for the players and their fans.
Next test for Minnesota? Digestion of the turkey, then trip to Charlotte on Friday evening. Not the biggest challenge, but there is still one on paper: if these Wolves are serious, they have to beat the Hornets. That’s what the big teams do, and we’re starting to see that profile in this team.
