When Michael Porter Jr. looks at the Minnesota Timberwolves, he sees similarities with the Denver Nuggets from a year ago. They’re loaded with talent, play unselfishly, and are aggressive on the court.
“It’s a team that believes they have all the right pieces to achieve something special,” Porter said on Friday. “They haven’t achieved it yet, but you can see their hunger and determination. So, we’re excited to compete against them.”
Porter didn’t hesitate to attribute this to Tim Connelly, the skilled team builder who put together Denver’s championship-worthy roster before moving to Minneapolis two years ago. In a short time, he’s assembled a team in Minnesota aimed at surpassing his previous masterpiece.
“It’s impressive to see what Tim Connelly did here and what he’s doing there,” Porter remarked. “I’ll always appreciate him for that. It’s interesting to see how he’s built another team capable of winning championships.”
This new team is set to give the reigning NBA champions a tough challenge, starting with their matchup on Saturday night in Denver.
The Nuggets are coming off a convincing five-game victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, which led to LeBron James experiencing his earliest playoff exit and the firing of coach Darvin Ham on Friday.
The Wolves advanced to Round 2 for the first time in two decades after defeating the Phoenix Suns in a sweep, marking the first time in franchise history. Nuggets coach Michael Malone dismissed the idea that the Wolves suddenly turned on their playoff mode.
“They had the best record in the West for most of the year. They have two All-Stars, the Sixth Man of the Year, a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, and a finalist for Coach of the Year. They also have a player who scored 50 points in the All-Star game,” Malone stated. “They’ve been performing at a high level all season.”
