DENVER — The differences of situation between the No. 7 seed and the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference this season were stark as Minnesota readied itself for another potential elimination game and the Lakers prepped themselves for a closeout game Wednesday in Memphis.
There is no guarantee the Timberwolves would be in the same spot the Lakers are in had they squared off with second-seeded Memphis, but the Grizzlies have looked particularly vulnerable in the first-round series as injuries have decimated their front-court depth and star guard Ja Morant continues to push through a hand injury.
Memphis certainly looks more vulnerable than Denver, who after a rough, frankly indifferent, close to the regular season has quickly re-established itself as a favorite to come out of the West.
Minnesota split its regular-season series with the Grizzlies after going toe to toe with Memphis in the first round a year ago before eventually falling in six games after losing three separate double-digit fourth-quarter leads throughout the series.
Minnesota nearly attained the No. 7 seed, falling to the Lakers in that play-in game in Los Angeles in overtime after squandering a 10-point fourth-quarter advantage by scoring just 12 points in the final frame.
Minnesota’s lone stinker in the playoffs to date came in Game 1 against Denver, and players cited fatigue coming off the team’s play-in slate as a reason for the performance. Had the Wolves topped the Lakers, they would have had four days off ahead of their playoff debut, versus the one day they actually got after beating the Thunder in their win-or-go-home play-in game following their loss in L.A.
Oh, what could’ve been for the Wolves.
Anderson to play for China?
Kyle Anderson is reportedly “on track” to become a naturalized Chinese citizen in time to compete for China at this summer’s FIBA World Cup.
The South China Morning Post reported Anderson’s great grandfather was Chinese, making Anderson one-eighth Chinese.
The Post reported Anderson is likely to fly to China at the conclusion of the Timberwolves’ playoff run, which could have come as soon as Tuesday in Game 5 in Denver. Anderson reportedly would have to renounce his U.S. citizenship to become naturalized, as the Post reported that “under Article 3 of the current Nationality Law, China does not recognize dual nationality.”
This year’s World Cup — co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia — is slated to run from late August to mid-September.
Status up in air
Anderson left the second half of Game 4 with an eye injury after he was smoked in the face by Anthony Edwards on a contested rebound. The versatile forward did not travel with the team to Game 5 in Denver.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said prior to Tuesday’s contest that it was “too early” to say if Anderson would be available for a Game 6 back in Minneapolis.
“He’s going through a series of evaluations pretty much on a daily basis. We’ll see where we stand at the end of it all. But it’s too early to tell for anything,” Finch said. “His spirits, he’s OK given the injury. He’s disappointed he can’t be here, but gotta hope for the best health possible for him right now.”
Answering the call
After suggesting his teammates needed to tone down their playing of video games at the outset of the playoffs, Wolves guard Mike Conley has officially reversed course.
Asked how the team should attack Tuesday’s Game 5 against the Nuggets after winning Game 4 at home Sunday, Conley suggested Minnesota take a similar approach. For him, that meant more time with the joysticks.
“Like (Saturday) night, play Call of Duty all night with Ant,” Conley said. “Been playing the last few days, trying to switch up the mojo. If we’re doing that, let’s do it, let’s have fun. Let’s get a dub however we can.”
The 35-year-old floor general was then asked if he held his own in the game against some of his younger, more experienced teammates.
“I’m low-key better than everybody on the team,” Conley said. “I don’t like to talk about it too much.”
That could likely be confirmed via Karl-Anthony Towns’ live Twitch stream of his own Call of Duty playing.
“You don’t need to,” Conley said. “I don’t want to give y’all my (user) name, but (if) y’all look me up, y’all would know.”
