A realistic look at the Wolves-Rockets series
By Tyler Haag
The Wolves have made it to the postseason for the first time in a long time and facing the team with the best record in the NBA will be no small task.
This just in: the Wolves are underdogs in their first round matchup against Houston. The Rockets have the best record in the NBA, the odds on favorite to win MVP in James Harden and they shoot an astonishing amount of three pointers per game, 42.3, which is 20 more than the Timberwolves.
It is going to be nearly impossible for the Wolves to slow the Rockets down on offense. Chris Paul is a hall of famer and James Harden might be the best offensive player the NBA has ever seen, but this Wolves team is better than their eighth seed might lead you to believe.
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If there is one thing the Wolves have going for them, is that the Rockets are rife with playoff failures. Mike D’Antoni has been leading these types of high scoring teams to playoff failures since Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire were racking up scoring records and regular season wins in Phoenix all those years ago. Chris Paul has never been past the second round and this will be the third team he has been unable to take past that point, should history repeat itself. James Harden has been absolutely incredible over the past two seasons and deserves all of the awards and credit he is and will be receiving, however, his Houdini-like disappearing act during the playoffs last season leaves the door open for Wolves fans’ optimism.
Although they will most likely get run out of the building four games in a row, Jimmy Butler and company do have a small chance in this series. A small chance, but a chance nonetheless.