Oklahoma City (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves must address Oklahoma City’s “AAU” defense to prevent falling into a 2-0 hole in the Western Conference Finals.
Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards used the term to describe Oklahoma City’s youthful offensive squad after the Timberwolves were held to a mere 34.9% in their 114-88 loss in Game 1 on Tuesday.
“I mean, it’s tough to manage because it changes every time,” Edwards commented after Game 1.
Edwards noted that being more aggressive is essential. He was dissatisfied with scoring only 18 points on 13 shots in the Game 1 defeat, which is below his typical performance. He stated that the adjustments for Game 2 on Thursday night will be straightforward.
“I need to move without the ball more and increase my cardio a bit,” Edwards said. “It should work out well.”
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch mentioned several areas for improvement. The Timberwolves produced 15 of their 51 three-point attempts in the opener and committed 17 turnovers.
“We need to enhance our decision-making,” Finch said. “We definitely require more force in our play. We must execute more pass-pass combinations and pick up the pace a little.”
Oklahoma City leads the league in defensive ratings with substantial margins during the playoffs. The Thunder tops all playoff teams with 10.8 steals per game and a .407 opposing field goal percentage in the postseason.
Lu Dort and Alex Caruso are among the best on-ball defenders in the league. Caruso, known from the finals series, is versatile enough to guard both guards and forwards, such as Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are quick and strong, excelling at intercepting passes. Williams amassed five steals in Game 1, which will aid the Thunder against tough opponents.
In the paint, Chetholmglen stands out as one of the top rim protectors in the league, while Isaiah Hartenstein is recognized as one of its leading rebounders.
The statistics are telling. Several Minnesota players struggled on Tuesday: Mike Conley shot two for eight, Donte DiVincenzo had three out of 14, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker converted three out of 11 attempts.
Edwards emphasized that it was more about the Timberwolves’ execution than the Thunder’s performance.
“They played well; they just couldn’t find the net,” Edwards said. “Many shots just bounced in and out. It’s about helping us improve. It benefits me and Ju (Julius Randle) because they usually make those shots.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault is hoping the Timberwolves find solutions.
“They’re a very good team, and we have a lot of respect for them,” he said. “These are exceptional players. They have great strategies and coaches, so they’ll make the necessary adjustments.”
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Source: apnews.com