2024 NBA Playoffs - West 1st Round: #3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. #6 Phoenix Suns (MIN SWEEPS 4-0)

[dockingsched]

This is a bizarre 1st round in the West. if Suns (6), Lakers (7) and Warriors (8) would advance to the second round of their matchups, I would not call these upsets

Well unless it was over Denver haha

[Catchall]

The difference in the series is likely defense and rebounds, which favor Minnesota.

[Domejandro]

KD is good for a win and Booker probably goes bananas in a game scoring like 56 but they still lose in 6.
This Suns team is as unpredictable as it gets. I wouldn't trust them.

This has Ant Man coming out party written all over it.

The Phoenix Suns run a shell defense that is particularly brutal for Anthony Edwards. Definitely the worst possible matchup for him to thrive.

[Swish1906]

One choking team won’t choke, heeeey

[NyKnicks1714]

I don't know if KAT will even be a net positive for Minnesota right now.

[bwgood77]

MN gets wiped out in the final game of the season on their home floor by the Suns, and then get PHX in the playoffs. It's such a TWolves thing to do. Hopefully the Wolves, for their sake, take that punch to the lip and use that energy to win the game 1 that REALLY matters.

I think PHX is a terrible matchup for the Wolves and see this being kind of testy for both teams. MN figures it out though, and MN in 6 is my vote.

This is definitely the matchup most Suns fans wanted. OKC swept the Suns in embarrassing fashion and Denver is tough, but the Suns did well against them and won twice in Denver this year. So even having them #2 is preferable than OKC if they get past the Wolves.

But I do think the Wolves were struggling likely in part because they are reintegrating Towns and he was making some awful passes, like totally out of sync with others....then Edwards was sick I believe as well which may have impacted him.

Another one of the Suns wins was on a Minn b2b where they played a late game at GS the night before and got into Phx at like 4 am.

[srhcan]

Very excited about this matchup. Want Suns to win in 6 but it can easily be Wolves in 6 instead.

[CIN-C-STAR]

Tpups in 5.
Suns are ass.

[Harry Garris]

Two teams that both struggle with consistency to some extent. Minnesota's offense - who knows. Phoenix on either side of the floor - who knows. The one thing you can count on is that Minnesota's defense will force Phoenix to take tough shots.

[MN7725]

Wolves fan, but I'm surprised anyone is picking Wolves

Wolves have no offensive creation halfcourt outside of ANT, which is the most important thing in playoff series
and ANT was godawful against Phoenix all 3 games

not that complicated

[Clav]

MN gets wiped out in the final game of the season on their home floor by the Suns, and then get PHX in the playoffs. It's such a TWolves thing to do. Hopefully the Wolves, for their sake, take that punch to the lip and use that energy to win the game 1 that REALLY matters.

I think PHX is a terrible matchup for the Wolves and see this being kind of testy for both teams. MN figures it out though, and MN in 6 is my vote.

This is definitely the matchup most Suns fans wanted. OKC swept the Suns in embarrassing fashion and Denver is tough, but the Suns did well against them and won twice in Denver this year. So even having them #2 is preferable than OKC if they get past the Wolves.

But I do think the Wolves were struggling likely in part because they are reintegrating Towns and he was making some awful passes, like totally out of sync with others....then Edwards was sick I believe as well which may have impacted him.

Another one of the Suns wins was on a Minn b2b where they played a late game at GS the night before and got into Phx at like 4 am.

I watched 2 of the 3 games they played, and that B2B the Wolves played so, soo, poorly. My old man is a big Wolves fan and he talked my ear off for like 45 minutes complaining about everything, the referees, the clouds, etc. Towns is still coming back into action but he's always awkward and doing weird TOs and getting charges, killing the rhythm of the offense. He's a mystery, and a big X factor because I'm not sure if KD will be his primary defender or they stick KD on McDaniels to preserve his energy. Who's guarding KAT ?

Honestly I think it's a good swing series, because I see it like... if both these teams if they play their game, the other team has a hard time answering it so it should be a very compelling matchup.

FT shooting is a BIG deal we should be talking about! Both Nurkic and Gobert shot about 64% this year at the line, so we need to keep an eye on late-game situations or a Hack-a-Center thing if a team is trying to kill the pace and get small advantages, this might be a good tactic to bring out.

[Potential]

Suns in 6. T Wolves offense won't be enough unless the Suns decide not to play d

[JustBuzzin]

Going with the Suns for the upset. Love Ant, but that team is not ready for the next step.

[Crives]

From the 3 regular season blowouts.. it really felt like suns had to much offensive ball handling skill on the floor and they were able to get really clean and efficient looks against wolves playing two centers.

[Phystic]

Picked wolves in 6. Suns have not earned any trust or confidence, Wolves defense is always something they can lean on and the Suns half court offense is iso ball which will be our demise

[AussieCeltic]

Such a bad matchup for the Wolves.

Heart says Wolves in 7, brain says Suns in 6.

[CodeBreaker]

Twolves are pretenders. Suns in 6

[Saul Goodman]

I’m really rooting for the Wolves to do it but this eerily reminds me of the 2014 Raptors Nets first round. Old all in super team that fell down the standings vs surprising upstart at the top of the conference. I can see it going 7 with the Suns taking it

[Dr Aki]

Over/under on Gobert punching someone (Wolves or Suns) in this series?

Suns got themselves a couple of real **** stirrers

[Wolveswin]

If tonight's Ant is who we get in the series, Minnesota gets swept. Gobert can't be your best offensive player and expect to win the series. I was disappointed in him tonight.

Ant was terrible in the play-in against the Lakers last season going 3-17 with 9 points. He's not very consistent.

I am not as impressed with Ant as everyone else seems to be. I still think he is a really nice player but these playoffs will tell me a lot about if he is ever going to be a get to Luka's or even Giannis' level and become a serious MVP candidate.

At least Lakers at the end of last season were a really good defensive team but he needs to put up big numbers against a team like Suns who aren't great defensively.

You do realize Ant is 22. These MVP players you speak of aren’t 22 (and 21 last year during playoffs other poster speaks of).

SGA at 22 wasn’t even worthy of such a discussion. Nor was Giannis. Or Jokić. What MVP candidate was at 22 going into 2nd playoffs?