Former NBA player Jamal Crawford raises concerns about the Minnesota Timberwolves’ ability to replicate their regular season success in the playoffs, citing potential challenges against experienced opponents and uncertainties surrounding Karl-Anthony Towns’ return from injury.
Despite their strong performance in the regular season, Crawford questions whether the Timberwolves can maintain their momentum in the postseason, especially against teams that thrive in a slower-paced, high-pressure environment.
“Don’t get fooled by the Minnesota Timberwolves. I love the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards is my favorite player to watch right now. Let’s make that clear. That’s a precursor,” Craword said on NBA TV.
“But I’m just not sure their regular season success will translate in the playoffs. The games will slow down. There’s going to be even more pressure on him to score, make plays. Who knows if Karl-Anthony Towns will be back healthy. I’m just not sure they’re built right now in the playoffs… They get the Lakers in the first round or somewhere early, that could be tough.”
Crawford highlights the importance of another dominant scorer alongside Anthony Edwards to bolster the Timberwolves’ postseason chances, suggesting that Jaden McDaniels could potentially fill that role.
“I think if they had another dominant perimeter to go with Anthony because we know what he’s going to do, we know he’s going to provide,” he said.
“I think it may be in house. If Jaden McDaniels starts to focus a little bit more on offense because he’s a great defender but he can really score as well. He’s just kind of playing his role right now. But if he can get some more buckets, get some more points, I think that could be the guy to take that next step.”
With the postseason looming, the Timberwolves face the challenge of proving their mettle against elite competition and overcoming obstacles to solidify their status as legitimate contenders.
