OKLAHOMA CITY — With Minnesota’s season having come to a screeching halt simply in need of the primary NBA Finals berth in franchise historical past for the second straight 12 months, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards made a promise to enhance.
“I will work my butt off this summer season,” Edwards stated after Minnesota’s 124-94 Recreation 5 loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Wednesday. “No person’s going to work tougher than me this summer season. I am going to inform you that a lot.”
The assertion got here after the Thunder, the league’s No. 1 general seed led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, made the 23-year-old budding famous person work for every thing he acquired within the Western Convention finals. After he completed the common season with a 27.6 factors per recreation scoring common — fourth-best within the NBA — he was held beneath 20 in three of the 5 video games towards Oklahoma Metropolis.
He had 19 factors within the closeout recreation and went 7-for-18 (1-for-7 from 3) with three turnovers. Minnesota was outscored by 29 factors within the 39 minutes Edwards was on the court docket.
“They have been the higher workforce, they got here out and beat us, punched us within the face,” Edwards stated, “and we misplaced the sport, we misplaced the collection.”
He was hardly the one wrongdoer in Minnesota’s demise in Recreation 5. In actual fact, when the Wolves trailed 26-9 after the primary quarter, Edwards had six factors whereas your entire remainder of the roster had mustered solely three extra, on 1-for-15 capturing.
“We misplaced our connectivity,” Wolves coach Chris Finch stated. “However all credit score to the Thunder. They actually deserved this. They performed excellent. We got here up brief in a number of methods.”
Minnesota dedicated 21 turnovers, resulting in 18 factors for the Thunder and igniting the group that celebrated its workforce’s first journey to the Finals since 2012. Naz Reid (11 factors, 5 rebounds) had 5 turnovers and Julius Randle (24 factors, 5 rebounds) was accountable for 4, because the Wolves regarded disjointed all night time, trailing by as many as 39 factors — their largest deficit in any recreation they performed on this season, eclipsing the 36-point lead the New York Knicks constructed on them again in December.
“I really feel like we’re a greater workforce than what we confirmed,” Randle stated. “So, a number of motivation going into the summer season, for positive.”
In the meantime, Wolves function gamers Nickeil Alexander-Walker (0 factors on 0-for-8 capturing), Jaden McDaniels (5 factors on 2-for-13 capturing) and Donte DiVincenzo (6 factors on 2-for-4 capturing) regarded nothing just like the trio that mixed for 66 factors in Recreation 4, a 128-126 loss at dwelling that proved to be Minnesota’s final gasp.
To not point out beginning heart Rudy Gobert (2 factors on 1-for-1 capturing) and place to begin guard Mike Conley (0 factors on 0-for-3) hardly supplied something to maintain tempo with the Thunder, who had 5 gamers in double digits, led by Gilgeous-Alexander (34 factors, 8 assists, 7 rebounds).
Wolves rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 35 factors over the past three video games of the collection after barely taking part in the remainder of the postseason as much as that time.
“I believe we positively want to elongate the rotation,” Finch admitted, wanting ahead. “We acquired some younger guys who’re itching to play and I do know might help us.”
As disappointing of a outcome because it was for Edwards to digest, he acknowledged he is simply beginning his journey, having simply accomplished his fifth season. The 37-year-old Conley, having simply completed his 18th, would not have the identical quantity of sand left within the hourglass.
“I do not know why individuals would assume it might harm, it is thrilling for me,” Edwards stated. “I am 23. I get to do it a complete bunch of instances. I am harm extra so for Mike. I got here up brief for Mike. We tried final 12 months, we could not get it. We tried once more this 12 months. We’ll attempt once more subsequent 12 months. However harm is a horrible phrase to make use of. I am good.”
As lopsided because the convention finals have been for the Wolves — they misplaced the three highway video games at Paycom Middle by a mixed 71 factors — there was loads of good that preceded them.
From March by way of the convention semifinals, the Wolves went 25-6, upsetting the No. 3 seeded Los Angeles Lakers because the No. 6 seed in 5 video games within the first spherical after which beating the Golden State Warriors in 5 video games, too.
It was a powerful last chapter, if not a powerful last few pages, for a workforce whose story included a blockbuster commerce to amass Randle and DiVincenzo from the New York Knicks for Karl-Anthony Cities simply two days earlier than coaching camp and a report that hovered round .500 previous the All-Star break.
“I keep in mind having a dialog with Anthony, like midseason,” Finch stated. “I stated, ‘What do you assume we expect a great season appears like? What do you assume that appears like for us proper now?’ And he stated, ‘Let’s get into the playoffs, win a spherical and see the place we go.’ It was precisely my thought on the time, too.”
Edwards recalled the dialog, and the making an attempt instances.
“We thought it was going downhill,” he stated. “We thought it was over for us at one level. It was wanting actual dangerous for us. … [And] we turned it round.
“We did fairly good this 12 months, man. We simply got here up brief once more. Attempt to do it once more subsequent 12 months.”