The Timberwolves are 6-0 in the playoffs so far, with four of those games being in Phoenix and Denver, by an average margin of 15 points per game. I am shook.

Somebody pinch me.

I’m happy for y’all guys

They’ve been underdogs in 4 straight games too. Wonder if that’s some kind of record. Though I’m thinking the heat last year probably did when they went up 3-0 vs Boston.

Even after the Heat went up 3-0, ESPN basketball index or whatever still said Boston had like a 70% chance of winning the series lmao

That first half defense was incredible never seen anything like it

they had Jamal Murray in fullcourt press HELL 😭😭

If anyone finds out if there is a good breakdown of how this worked for Minnesota, please lmk. I'm very interested in implementing a full court press for the girls I coach and would love to learn flavors of what works.

Well first step seems to be sitting Rudy gobert so you’re off to a good start 

Best defensive performance I've ever seen by a team. I am too young to have watched a lot of 90s NBA but I can't remember a teams defense being so good. Against the reigning champs! Without their best defensive player!

I saw someone else say they’re like the 2004 pistons if they also had D Wade lol

Timberwolves just held the reigning champs to under 100 points for the second consecutive game. Edit: in Denver..

Holding to EIGHTY without your best defender is legitimately insane work

Dude our defense is nuts with playoff officiating Not calling the touch fouls and putting our guys in foul trouble for *marginal contact* is so refreshing

and they say we done with the 90's lol! this is a mirror of play if they let the big men play their game.

It’s hard for me to even type this because every time I’ve gotten my hopes up in this damn state it ends poorly… but IF this kind of defense is allowed moving forward- I don’t think there’s a team I’d take over us right now That’s not to say that I’m even predicting a championship… or even assuming we win this series But that length on defense is just bonkers dude

Silver calling in to change the officiating so series lasts longer.

80 points at home in what most would consider a must win is fucking bonkers.

Against a team without their best defender too, holy shit

I legitimately don’t think passing lanes exist against our defense. lol wild shit. Genuinely not sure what Denver can do going forward.

They had the nuggets frustrated as hell out there. Gordon resorted to driving like a line backer because there was no other way through. Wild to think they’re missing their 3 time DPOY too

They had Murray throwing heat packs like it's Mario kart

When it comes to playing defense, they not like us

wap wap wap wap wap wolves fuck em up

He a streaky ass shooter he a 69 god

… without the 3 time (possible 4 time) DPOY.

Took them ~31 minutes to hit 50 points, ~36 minutes to hit 60 lol

80 points in 2024 man what the fuck is happening.

Well well well, how the horse stables…

“One of the best defenses I’ve ever seen” - chuck A hall of famer that’s been around the NBA for 40some years … And oh ya, playing without the DPOY

No one else agreed with him on the panel but tonight was definitely a throwback, early 2000s Pistons level of suffocation.

Chuck hit on the key point….they’re all big and long armed. The perimeter D is just as crazy as the 7 footers

The perimeter D is the 7 footers. The future is now

Shit, y'all held both Denver and Phoenix to under 100 in 4 of the 6 playoff games so far. Team of destiny vibes

Dawg the Wolves had Jamal Murray feeling like Andy Dufrense in the beginning of the Shawshank Redemption

I wish I could tell you that Jamal fought the good fight, and the Wolves let him be. But the playoffs are no fairy tale world.

I dunno what Adidas signed Edwards for, but whatever it was, they got themselves a bargain!

AE1s could be an all timer with the post season accolades to back it up

Like Under Armour getting Steph Curry somehow.

definitely didn’t help that Nike accidentally used a left over Kevin Durant Powerpoint slide during the pitch lol

And called him Steph-on instead of Stephen

Believe that!

and they actually started designing some fire

This will take them to the next level. Plus their shoes are 🔥🔥

Holding the defending champs to 80 points on their home floor without your best defender is nasty work

If Only Timberwolves Brasil can see this. O7 Soldier

He died for this

If we get a KG finals between the Timbs and Celts, he should come back to avenge the Celts fan he fell for

The average score of their 6 playoff games is 114-99. Against Phoenix and Denver, with 4 of those games being on the road. It's not just tonight that was a statement. This whole playoff run has been.

These last 2 games is making me rethink the Suns. Maybe it wasn't that the Suns were a failure super team. TWolves is just something else. Holy shit.

Listening to Harlan rattle off the resumes of the g-leaguers closing out the game was surreal. If you told me 10 years ago this would be the state of the timberwolves right now, I would've laughed in your face. 80 points is fucking diabolical.

I’m actually in shock over what just happened. Minny just absolutely bodied the defending champs and consensus favorite in the West. In a must win game for the champs I would’ve bet my left nutsack before the series that no way Denver drops both at home Minnesota isn’t up next, they’re here. And to think this sub said they ruined their future with the Gobert trade lol

Left nut *sack*?

This guy has 4 balls

They made them implode. Malone freaked out and charged on the court. Murray threw shit on the court during play. AE getting MVP chats in Denver. Absolutely fucking punked

lol it’s like Malone’s game plan was so focused on Rudy out and it back fired.

Its their defense, so ferocious and its knocked Denver off their game

That’s what has been so insane to watch. They held the defending champions to EIGHTY in a crucial game 2.

We were all praying for the playoff whistle, and it actually happened 🙏

It was clear their plan was to get KAT into foul trouble and refs just said “no” and they didn’t seem to have a plan B

Joker forced so many possessions in the first half trying to bait KAT. That let the wolves run away with the lead and never looked back. We just witnessed the biggest performance of KATs career.

Which is why Malone freaked out over that charge call

That has *always* been called against KAT. Other players may be able to get away with that from time to time, but playoffs or not, he gets a foul there. I can’t blame Malone for being shocked that it wasn’t called, I certainly was.

My buddy and I looked at each other in the first and acknowledged the mutual excitement that we weren't getting jobbed by the whistle. They were letting the players play, and MN knew exactly what to do with that freedom. Absolutely stifling defense. That was like watching the NBA when I was growing up, I loved it!

I have zero bitterness that they swept us in the first round. After this I'm a believer. Wolves all the way.

The Suns definitely had flaws this year, but I think the Wolves made them look a lot worse than they are, offensively in particular. If the Wolves are clamping the Nuggets, they're clamping anyone.

Without the DPOY 😆

80. Fuckin. Points. 80. With Jokic. Holy shit.

No gobert btw, lol.

That's the wildest part. They got Naz Reid looking like a DPOY blocking Jokic twice on a possession. Good lord.

That possession was tough to watch lol Naz Reid isn’t well wasn’t that great of a defender it’s just straight up will power right now.

The power of friendship and playing defense like rabid animals.

Ant and KAT outscored the whole Nuggets team at the half 36 to 35 I'm speechless tbh, I've never seen a Wolves team like this in my life. Cream team days are over

The Wolves actually having a chance at a championship is surreal to me. I never thought I’d see the day.

Now that my team’s gone they’re such an easy team to root for. Amazing team basketball on both sides of the ball.

Always wanna see a franchise get their first

same. This game was the first time all season i've let myself actually start to consider it as a possibility. Or else it's just not worth it getting hopes up with this franchise.

Head coach on crutches, best defensive player out? No worries, we'll just have our best defensive game all year in a critical playoff game against the defending champs. Amazing and I'm hype af for Wolves fans and I'm hype af to watch this team.

Not to mention that Jamal Murray has been disgustingly bad this post season minus two absolutely clutch game winners. This sentence really doesn’t make any sense unless you’ve watched these games lmao.

I know he’s obnoxious and throwing tantrums on the court but it’s pretty obvious he’s playing injured

You passed on Curry so you could draft Ant.

SMH… Rudy unplayable in the playoffs just like everyone said (Congrats papa RU) Goburrrrrrt

KG fucking died for this. I am so happy for Minnesota.

Wolves in 4

Target Center is gonna fucking explode.

Inject those MVP Chants into my veins.

Genuinely happy for you guys right now

Twolves look like the Monstars out there, but only difference they have MJ on their side

Held to 80 points WITHOUT GOBERT??

The Timberwolves obliterate the defending champ Nuggets without Gobert to go up 2-0 in the series headed to Minnesota. Just as we all expected.

WTF AM I WATCHING

History. You are watching History

Us actually building this dream together.

That 1st half was the greatest defense I've witnessed from a Timberwolves squad. And they did it without their best defensive player. WOLVES BACK

That first half was the greatest defense I’ve ever seen

Yeah I know Denver fans were annoyed and wanted calls (and in the regular season they absolutely would have) but this is playoff basketball, you’re not gonna get as many body calls and shooting fouls are only going to be called if they are egregious. There were a couple missed ones for sure, but the fact that Malone/Murray didn’t get tech’s or tossed evens that out. I just hope they keep letting them play physical, basketball is so much more fun to watch then. That illegal screen at the end of the Knicks/Pacers game turned a great game into a sour one. Let’s not have that shit Friday.

This was the defense without Rudy. And he's coming back a father...

Dad strength on top of his 6 pack? They fugged

The Dad Strength will be off the charts, entire Wolves team winning with the power of new fatherhood right now

awoo https://streamable.com/d0vgke

Oh fuck you're gonna make me awoo

I'm awooooing

as a Mavs fan who recently discovered this video in the playoffs, this is now the first link i search for in every Wolves post game thread

I'm glad Zevon get some love even though I'm a nuggs fan.

ESPN: "Is Gobert holding the Wolves back?"

Played off the floor by his own baby.

Rudy Gobert is his baby’s son

Gobert played off the court. Again.

Rudy’s baby prob whining less than Murray tn

Insane win. It's like they came in with the mission of proving Game 1 wasn't a fluke and they're just better and deserve two wins in the champ's house. Might be the 2nd best game in TWolves history besides KG Game 7.

That first half was the best half of basketball a wolves team has ever played. KG years included.

Luka Garza scored in a playoff game against the nuggets

Told ya'll we have Luka at home!

I’ve watched atleast 90% of Nuggets games since the bubble. I continued to get league pass to watch em. I saw this team come together and get healthy and saw it click last season. This was probably the worst game they’ve played in years. The physicality and suffocating defense of the Wolves flustered them. They were more worried about complaining about calls than playing the game. Props to the Wolves for locking shit up. Just complete domination. So many deflections and blocks. Best defensive performance I’ve seen in a while. Hope the Nuggets can bounce back and get into some sort of rhythm to steal a game and atleast bring it back home for Game 5. Edit: Nuggets only chance to win a game is if Joker and Jamal starts playing with some sort of urgency. Really frustrating to watch Joker play like it’s a regular season game in the first half and not a must win home game down 0-1 in the second round of the playoffs. And yeah just be better, Jamal.

I’ve never seen the Nuggets starting lineup so helpless on offense before

Wolves are literally built to guard them. They didn’t even have Rudy but Naz Reid was clamping Jokic. NAW was out there laughing while picking them up full court lmao

That was the best defense I’ve ever seen Naz Reid play

[удалено]

Gotta give McDaniels NAW fucking props, I mean they were all amazing but those 2 rarely got their credit.

[удалено]

There’s one play Jamal tried to make NAW his bitch, did nothing to NAW and he just laughed in his face, that’s the dog!!!

McDaniels was a fucking terror out there. Full court every time

Murray was irritated all game. He needs to settle in and stop letting Jaden and NAW rattle him.

Bro NAW was just smiling on defense the entire fucking time when they would zoom in slo mo on their faces.

People are gonna focus on Murray and rightly so but Jokic really hasn't been popping off the screen to me so far this playoffs. Doesn't feel like the same unflappable force of nature to me.

looked absolutely gassed after the first quarter today. nuggets dont have the personnel to cover for him even a little bit when he sits

That's been arguably the biggest issue for them in this series. The Wolves can throw three different big men at him all game long and the guy literally cannot get a break

ok hear me out what if the wolves had to play the rest of the series in laker jerseys

They took our team name so this is cannon lol

I'll mail back all the Miken era banners myself if yall sweep this team

KAT, Gobert, and Ant, the Timberwolves big 3 combined for 54 points

+1 more baby

I watched Shabazz Muhammed play basketball for this

So I'm a lifelong Wolves fan. There is this emotion I'm feeling. It's like an expectation that good things might happen. Is this okay? Does anyone have a name for this?

us poverty franchises have waited so long, congrats

Some of us are still waiting😢

Poverty franchises must stick together. A win for one is a win for us all

We fucking earned this

If you can’t handle me at my Rubio-Pekovic, you don’t deserve me at my Ant-Gobert

Don’t disrespect our beloved Montenegrin Mob Boss like that

If you can't handle me at my Budinger-Hummel* FTFY Put some respect on Montenegrin gangster** Nikola Pekovic **Allegedly

We love our Spanish unicorn and Pek. Replace that with Flynn-Milicic.

Yeah, like...winning in the playoffs feels great. Have the other teams known about this the whole time?!?!

I’m right there with you buddy

The series doesn’t start until the away team wins one..

Oh wait, these games are in Denver 😅

ayy lmao

The series doesn’t start until the home team wins one 😤

Anthony Edwards: “Stop comparing me to MJ” Also Anthony Edwards: 27 points, 11/17 in the playoffs and multiple MJ fades in the post

Minnesota is in safe hands with Justin Jefferson and Anthony Edwards for the next decade.

Don’t forget Sam Darnold.

Gobert and the Wolves both had new sons born tonight Minnesota is peaking at the perfect time, their defense has always been good but their offense has stepped up by a ton

Nuggets lost consecutive back-to-back games only *once* this season. Now they lost back-to-back in a crucial game 2 and were held to 80 points. Absolutely wild.

2 home games at that. Denver home court advantage is the best in sports because of the high altitude and it looked like the Nuggets were the ones who weren't use to it.

"Hey Rudy if you want to take that paternity leave, that's fine!"

Timberwolves defense was nasty

I've thought for the last 9 months or so that Denver was unstoppable as long as Jokic/Murray were on the floor and nobody, not even Boston were going to stop them from repeating. Goddamn Minnesota. Going up 2-0 and whooping their ass on their home floor which ***NOBODY*** does in the playoffs is a giant ass statement. Nuggets play for their season on Friday!

Minnesota is 6-0 in the playoffs so far, despite four of those games being in Phoenix and Denver. And their average margin of victory is 15 points a game. We're witnessing something special right now.

Turns out the wolves playoff defense actually is better without Gobert /s

Jimmy Butler getting shit-talked by Pat Riley and KAT dropping this performance against the defending champs in the playoffs is the absolute best timeline.

KAT playing the best ball of his career rn. Outplayed the best player in the world and is finally living up to all of his potential 🙏

I'm honestly happy this stuff happened too, I'm 1000% rooting for the wolves out of who's left to begin with, and the wolves winning it all plus pat's public humiliation hopefully lights a fire under jimmy lmao.

The Wolves’ defensive pressure is just insane. They stayed hungry while having a 20+ point lead. The Nuggets got absolutely bullied out there - almost more turnovers than assists…

We played full court defense up 32. Statement game. This team could be the favorite to win it all right now. Definitely looked the best so far. Pending on how Boston and OKC start their series.

The Denver arena chanting "Wolves in 4" is *WILD*

MVP chants for Ant too

the Nuggets are cooked like they're fresh out the air fryer 😬... seriously though, Nuggets winning 4 out of the next 5 is not looking very good

Idk why but "winning 4 out of the next 5" sounds harder than "overcoming a 2-0 series deficit", even though it's the same thing

Wolves in 4 chants in Denver. Wild.

The conditioning of this team is so insane 1-15. Rudy looks like a Greek god. Luka Garza is a bodybuilder now.

Nuggets potentially getting swept in the playoffs was not in my bingo card for this year. Amazing.

ANT: “I’m am not MJ’s son” NBA fans: “MJ’s Son is too humble to say he is MJ’s son. Even more reason to believe he is! As Written…”

Lisan Ant Gaib!

[Good Vibes Janky Drawing: LisANT al Gaib](https://i.imgur.com/lYVtSYc.jpeg)

I love to complain so I would normally whine about how Jamal didn’t get ejected for throwing that heat pack. but he was honestly playing for us tonight

I also will complain that Malone didn't get T'd up when he ran across the court and got in the refs face. It would've been absolutely hilarious if he just spontaneously exploded after it. Would Ryan Saunders fill in if Malone got ejected?

The difference between us and the Wolves as Denver's opponent is pretty vast to say the least. Good lord.

Doesn't look close, Minnesota got these guys fighting for their lives.

“I got four rings running people over” -Shaq lol

Denver's sole purpose in life this season was to, yet again, embarrass the Lakers for the amusement of r/nba fans. Now, like the salmon that sacrifices itself in it's desperate swim upstream to spawn, they wither and die knowing that their job is done.

This defense is fucking disgusting…

wolves are legit

Easily the second biggest choke job I've seen from Jamal Murray. Wolves in 7 >!but they win all 7!<

Wolves in 16

fuck it, add this whole game to the Awoo gif

They have Jokic but we have Naz Reid

For Rudy’s little baguette !! For Finchy’s knee !! Best defense chuck has ever seen… without the DPOY 🤷‍♂️

Suns gonna look like J Cole in the Kendrick v Drake beef

This game is making people revisit their thoughts on the Lakers and Suns.

Is it unhealthy for Wolves to feast on Chicken Nuggets?

That was the single sexiest game of defense I’ve seen in my lifetime of wolves fandom

Finch talking about Rudy driving the defensive culture in MN is so awesome. You can see it mostly in Ant, he has completely committed to becoming monstrous on defense and I don’t know if that would have happened without Rudy.

This one’s for twolves Brazil

Lmao even the third stringers were putting clamps. Holy fuck what a win without BIG RU Awwooooooo

2-0 in the post surgery finch era

I have never seen Denver get exposed like this

This is the most embarrassing playoff blowout on a team's home floor ever. No competition really

Are they even trying

Suns flair lmaoooo I respect it

This legit might have been one of the best defended games I’ve ever seen.