The Minnesota Timberwolves narrowly missed out on a playoff berth last season. Despite that failure, the team may already have its answer to a longer playoff run.
Last season, the stars finally seemed to align for the Timberwolves. Minnesota finished atop the Western Conference standings and eliminated the reigning NBA champions from the playoffs. Unfortunately, their run came to an end when they faced the Dallas Mavericks and Luke Doncic.
However, the Timberwolves could have a secret weapon already on their list for another attempt at the NBA title.
“(Mike) Conley is on this list because he’s good. It’s no coincidence that things fell into place for the Timberwolves after they traded D’Angelo Russell for Conley,” RealGM’s Wes Goldberg wrote Monday.
“But one wonders how much longer it will be able to serve as a master key to this complicated safe.”
At 36, Conley played in 76 of the Timberwolves’ 82 regular-season games last year. The veteran continues to use his years of experience to help Minnesota’s young superstar Anthony Edwards, who has already helped the former No. 1 overall pick immensely.
The Ohio State alum averaged 11.4 points, 5.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 45.7 percent from the field last year.
While the stats aren’t eye-popping, Conley taught the young Wolves team how to stay calm in crucial moments in the playoffs, contributing to many of Minnesota’s big wins last season.
It’s unclear how much time Conley has left in the tank, but as he continues to shock us all, he could very well be the piece that helps the Western Conference contender finally turn the corner.
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