The Timberwolves lost to the Pacers 134-135! Hua Zi practiced all summer in vain? The two new players are gratifying

On the morning of October 8, the NBA preseason will usher in a strong dialogue between the East and the West - the Timberwolves will sit at home and face the Pacers who reached the finals last season. For both teams, although this contest is not a main game, it is a key window to test the results of offseason adjustments and examine marginal players. The Pacers started their first show this time with the background of "reconstruction transition period". Although they made it all the way to the finals last season, they lost the championship due to Haliburton's Achilles tendon tear. This core player still has no chance to return this season, which directly weakens the team's competitiveness. The team's lineup changed drastically during the offseason. Not only did they lose center Turner, who had been playing for ten years, but veterans such as Freeman and Bryant also left the team one after another. In terms of new aid, the Grizzlies' shooting center Huff needs to fill the interior vacancy. Although Wiseman has been awarded a two-year contract, he still needs to compete for a job. Delon Wright only holds a training camp contract. Second-round picks Cam Jones (already injured) and Tyronn Pitt are still in the adaptation period. In addition to Jones on the injury side, Sheppard is absent, Isaiah Jackson is doubtful, and only Wiseman is likely to appear. The pressure of running in the first show is not small.

This game is the second preseason game of the Timberwolves. Previously, despite the absence of the two core players Edwards and Randle, they still defeated the Nuggets 126-116. New aid Hylander scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting, Zhuzan scored 16 points, and rookie Belanger scored 14 points, showing the depth of the bench. All three core players of the Timberwolves played in this game, which shows that the team's coaching staff also wants to use the Pacers to test the suitability of the starting lineup. Timberwolves fans are even more looking forward to Anthony Edwards' stunning performance to announce the results of his hard training in the offseason. After all, this summer, news spread around the league about him studying Jordan and Kobe's stunts in seclusion - from analyzing frame-by-frame post-up moves in "The Last Dance" to replicating the Black Mamba's fadeaway jumper. Two hours of special training every day gave Minnesota hope of breaking through the curse of the Western Conference Finals.

This NBA preseason showdown between the East and the West is full of tension from the beginning. After a brief offensive and defensive trial, the Pacers took the lead in finding the outside rhythm - with a wave of precise three-pointers, they quickly tore apart the Timberwolves' defense, opened the point difference to double digits, and took the initiative in the game early. Seeing that the situation was passive, the Timberwolves immediately adjusted their rotation lineup and focused on inside offense. They gradually narrowed the point difference through killing at the basket and controlling rebounds, and barely managed to hold on to the game. In the second quarter, the Pacers continued their hot state, and their multi-point offense allowed them to always have the advantage. However, an accident occurred midway through the game. McConaughey was injured and left the field during a breakthrough, casting a shadow on the Pacers' rotation. The Timberwolves seized the opportunity of fluctuations in the opponent's lineup, launched a counterattack led by Edwards, and continuously scored inside in an attempt to tie the score. However, the Pacers quickly stabilized their position and responded promptly through efficient offensive and defensive transitions. They always controlled the point difference within a safe range and did not allow the Timberwolves to achieve a lead.

The game turned around in the second half - the core players of both teams did not appear again, and the game became a training ground for the substitute lineup. The Pacers' Walker and Furfe were the first to break out. The two felt hot and scored consecutively inside and outside. They jointly widened the point difference to more than 20 points, seemingly sealing the victory in advance. But the Timberwolves did not give up, and launched a fierce counterattack from the end of the third quarter: Zhu Zhen was the key man, and his three-pointers were flawless. Every hit was eroding the Pacers' lead; facing the opponent's offensive, the Pacers' Dennis showed no weakness and also responded with precise three-pointers. The two sides fell into a fierce three-point battle. With a wave of consecutive points at the last moment, the Timberwolves miraculously tied the score and dragged the game into overtime. The competition in overtime became even more intense. The offensive and defensive rhythms of the two teams accelerated, and the scores alternately increased, but they still failed to widen the gap. At the critical moment, Walker of the Pacers stepped to the free throw line, but only hit 1 ball, giving the Timberwolves a chance to win. Unfortunately, the Timberwolves' Freeman shot a three-pointer at the last moment, but the ball failed to hit the basket. In the end, the Pacers narrowly defeated the Timberwolves with a 1-point advantage of 135-134, ending this ups and downs victory.

The new players signed by the Timberwolves during the offseason performed well. The first is Zhuzan. He previously played for the Utah Jazz for three seasons and played in a total of 102 games (23 starts), averaging 7.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1 assist per game. Last season, the average data per game increased to 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists, and he showed his strength as a top scorer in the Development League, averaging 20.6 points and 4 rebounds per game. In this campaign, Zhu Zan made 6 of 8 3-pointers, scoring 20 points by himself, with a plus-minus value of +15, and single-handedly dragged the game into overtime. Hyland, who was transferred to the Timberwolves from the Clippers, continued his excellent offensive performance in the previous game, shooting 4 of 7 and 3 of 5 3-pointers, scoring 11 points. Although the two major new players performed well, the author believes that the Timberwolves are really not happy. The core lineup has been losing games on the field. Reed made 3 of 6 and scored 10 points, which was quite efficient. Randall made 6 of 11 and scored 14 points and 4 rebounds. The statistics were extraordinary, but the team lost by 11 points. Gobert made 2 of 3 and scored 5 points and 4 rebounds, with a plus-minus value of -8. Starting point guard Conley became a transparent man on the court with 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, which was extremely dazzling.

Edwards' performance also gave everyone a slap in the face: In this campaign, Edwards scored only 17 points on 6 of 16 shots in 19 minutes, 1 of 5 three-pointers, and a plus-minus of -6! There is still a big gap between this performance and the fans' requirements. After all, according to the famous reporter Shams, the 23-year-old core has considered the training gym as his home since June. The lockers are filled with tactical notes from Jordan's 1998 Finals and Kobe's 2009 playoffs. Even the assistant coach has to take turns simulating double teams to help him hone his back-breaking techniques. He himself also said bluntly: "To lead the Timberwolves to win the championship, we must first unlock the killer moves of the old-school superstars." This statement, coupled with the basic data of 27.6 points per game last season, made the management not hesitate to spend 100 million yuan to renew Reid's contract and build a championship framework of "Edwards + interior twin towers". Everyone thought that this summer's hard training would transform him from a "powerful scorer" to a "killer with no blind spots", but his first preseason show revealed the cruel truth: those seemingly bright technical reserves have not been transformed into on-field combat effectiveness at all.

Looking at the data of 17 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists alone, it may not be a disaster, but comparing his offseason goals and the team's expectations, this performance can be called a "smash". As the team's only top ball-handling point, Edwards only had 2 assists in the game. Under the targeted defense of the Pacers, he could neither create opportunities with post-up singles nor break the deadlock with mid-range. Instead, he frequently fell into the old routine of "blocked breakthroughs and forced three-pointers." The most eye-catching thing is that he, who claimed during the offseason to be a "weapon to break double teams," still looked panicked when faced with a double blockade. He was completely different from the scene in training where he "imitated Jordan and used his hips to sense defense." In the new season, Edwards assumes the role of "offensive engine", and this core lineup of "Edwards + Gobert + Randle" essentially requires the outside core to have the ability to break games. If he cannot use his newly trained skills to connect the team, the team's offense will inevitably stagnate, and the tragic history of the Western Conference Finals may repeat itself again.

The brutal competition in the Western Conference does not allow the Timberwolves to wait for Edwards to "slowly grow". In the new season, the Thunder have renewed their core contracts, the Nuggets have strengthened their interior depth, the Clippers have built a luxurious forward line, and even the Lakers have made up for their shortcomings in the center. All teams are building up their strength for the championship. Last season, the team was able to reach the Western Conference Finals with the help of Edwards's explosive performance. Now, his training this summer is just a "fake upgrade". In the face of more fierce competition, the Timberwolves are likely to fall from the "Western Finals regulars" back to the "first round of the playoffs". What's even more frustrating is that the team doesn't have much room for adjustment. In order to renew the core contract, the Timberwolves' salary space is basically locked, and there are not many future draft picks left due to past transactions, making it difficult to introduce reinforcement players and rebuild the lineup. The "Edwards Evolution Theory" that management bet on now looks more like a big gamble. For the Timberwolves, the outside world has great expectations for them. Both in terms of championship probability and comprehensive strength, they are among the top six in the Western Conference. I hope they will no longer start with a promising attitude and eventually leave the game again in the high-intensity confrontation in the playoffs.