#1 Houston Rockets vs. #8 Minnesota Timberwolves
Ryan Aston: Mark my words: James Harden was the best player in the league this season and, as a team, the Houston Rockets are probably title-bound. The fact that they can have a future Hall of Famer running the offense for all 48 minutes is insanity. Couple that with a roster loaded with weapons and their improved defense and you’ve got yourself a legit juggernaut.
The pesky Minnesota Timberwolves will be no match. And is it just me or, for all the progress they made this year, aren’t the Wolves just a little disappointing? I’ve always been a Thibs guy, but the fact that he ran his key guys into the ground and this was the result is souring. I also wonder about Andrew Wiggins‘ slippage and KAT’s underwhelming defense. Rockets in 5
Zack Padmore: The Rockets have played some incredible basketball this season, and I don’t see very many teams giving them any problems. Minnesota ended a 13-year playoff drought, but they got stuck with a nightmare opponent. James Harden is the MVP, and the Rockets are set for a deep playoff run. Rockets in 4
Jared Barker: Wolves in 4. Okay, there’s my joke. Jimmy can’t save this team. Paul and Harden are going to take turns decimating the competition either via easy assists or isolation play. Jimmy is only one defender and the Wolves don’t even have a second decent defensive player other than Taj Gibson. Rockets will switch everything defensively and stymie the wolves potent attack. In other words, the Rockets will be scraping the Wolves off the bottom of their shoes in four. Rockets in 4
Tyler Thorpe: While Houston achieved the West’s top seed after a 65-17 regular season record, they may not have drawn the easiest path to the Finals. Minnesota is not your typical 8-seed. They hovered around the top half of the conference for much of the season. A late injury to star two-way player Jimmy Butler saw the Timberwolves nearly fall out of the playoffs entirely. Despite the late season slip, the T-Wolves are much better than their seeding would tell you. Their 47-35 record, though impressive, looks even better after considering they went 10-13 in Butler’s absence.
The Rockets, however, are simply on another level. This year appears to be the year that Chris Paul finally makes it to the Western Conference Finals (at least). While I expect Minnesota to make it uncomfortable for the Rockets, Houston will do all they can to finish their business as quick as possible with an impending date with either Utah or Oklahoma City looming in the second round. Rockets in 5
John Keeffer: This matchup is actually more interesting than your typical 1-8 series. Just a month and a half ago, Minnesota was the number three seed in the West prior to the Jimmy Butler injury. If you choose to view them as having the talent of a three seed, then this is going to be a competitive series.
With Jimmy Butler in the lineup, Minnesota had the third best offensive rating in the NBA. However, they had just the 26th ranked defensive rating. Houston’s offense is one of the few better than Minnesota, and they have a better defense. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Wolves steal a game or two, but the Rockets are winning this series. Rockets in 5
Austin Leonard: Jimmy Butler is back! Rejoice! The Timberwolves will beat the Rockets now! Wait a minute… no they won’t. Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins need to develop more before this team makes noise in the playoffs. Luc Mbah a Moute being out with a dislocated shoulder may harm the Rockets later on in the playoffs if he doesn’t recover before the later rounds but shouldn’t make much of a difference here.
Don’t get me wrong, I would be thrilled if the Timberwolves won this series because it would mean an easier match-up for the Jazz in the second round, but the Rockets are too talented to join the considerably small list of 1-seeds to get bounced in the first round. Rockets in 5
Tyler Crandall: The Timberwolves finally made the playoffs by the skin of their teeth. They were an inch away from extending their playoff drought at least another season. Unfortunately for them, with a bottom 3 defense playing against history’s best offense, they don’t stand a chance. If Houston has a cold shooting night and Minnesota gets a good game from KAT and Jimmy Buckets, they could steal a game. Rockets in 5
Hayden Van de Maat: The Timberwolves will be high on confidence after scraping into the playoffs with a tough, overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. The heavily favoured Houston Rockets await, and despite what many think of their championship hopes, I think they could still fall victim against a physical, well coached squad. Fortunately for Rockets fans, the Wolves are far from that. Quite frankly, its baffling that coach Tom Thibodeau survived their late-season skid given that he had overplayed his starters all year and they have been unable to physically compete down the stretch.
When paired with his inability to put together a system that benefits someone not named Jimmy Butler, it’s laughable that he’s held on to a coaching job this long. As has been the story all year, Minnesota will go as far as Jimmy Butler can take them, and if he locks in and can somehow stay healthy, he is more than capable of making life very difficult for Houston’s dynamic backcourt duo. And despite Houston’s vast improvements at the defensive end this season, guarding the individual scoring power of Butler, Wiggins, Jeff Teague and Towns may be difficult.
Clint Capela will have to go out to the three-point line to guard the pick-and-pop, and defensive specialist Luc Mbah a Moute will likely miss the entire first round with a dislocated shoulder. All in all, I don’t think the Timberwolves will be able to make all the adjustments necessary to stir the Rockets. Rockets in 5
Jared Woodcox: Jimmy Butler’s return has given this Timberwolves team some more life, which is good because they looked absolutely defeated while he was out. He’ll help make the series interesting, but it won’t be enough. Houston swept Minnesota in the regular season and I think they’ll do the same in the postseason. Rockets in 4
General Consensus: Rockets in 5