The Timberwolves' Achilles heel was, in fact, an Achilles heel

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

“Panorama with the Abduction of Helen Amidst the Wonders of the Ancient World”; Maerten van Heemskerck; 1535

Coming into the playoffs, the biggest case against the Minnesota Timberwolves was that their offense, which wasn’t very good in the aggregate this season, would be unable to conjure up enough points in the waning moments of close games, where even high-octane teams face massive resistance.

Then Minnesota went out and won some close games against the preeminent clutch team of the league, the Denver Nuggets. Karl-Anthony Towns had clutch putbacks. Anthony Edwards had gas left in the tank at the end of games. Naz Reid was filled with vim. Minnesota’s biggest weakness coming in appeared to be solved.

But then the Timberwolves ran up against a better defense with real rim protection and two killer shotmaking and creators … and that old worry about Minnesota is what has directly killed their chance to move onto the NBA Finals.

In Game 1 last Wednesday, after going up four with 3:37 remaining, the Wolves scored a total of three points the rest of the game, shooting 0/3 from the floor with three turnovers. The Dallas Mavericks scored 10 points in that span to win the game.

In Game 2 on Friday, the Timberwolves went up five on Edwards free throws with 1:29 remaining. The Mavericks outscored them 6-0 from there. That included this shot.

Luka Doncic is so mad! Looking like a dude that drives this to games.

@apocalypsemanufacturingAnother legend joins the most exclusive 6x6 community. Enjoy your new custom Hellfire 6x6 @lukadoncic #nba #lukadoncic #trucktok #trucksoftiktok

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The entire clutch video is worth watching, unless you’re a Timberwolves fan, in which I am sorry. It’s cruel of me to even do this newsletter today, I acknowledge.

What an intense, fascinating game.

And then on Sunday there was Game 3.