Minnesota Timberwolves

With noisy, understood statements regarding their plans of climbing the Western Conference hierarchy all throughout 2023-24, the Minnesota Timberwolves walked into the Oklahoma City Thunder’s arena on January 29, 2024 in preparation of a different role: the silencer. Understanding the magnitude of a game that would temporarily offer both bragging rights and sole possession of the No. 1 seed, the Timberwolves discovered a perfect two-way balance, overwhelming Oklahoma City through physicality and execution. For Anthony Edwards, the game’s leader, it marked yet another opportunity to showcase his arrival to main event status. Alongside becoming league history’s third-youngest player to reach the 6,000-point plateau, Edwards, fittingly, elevated his play in what the Thunder called a “heightened game” with 27 points. The heavyweight clash offered 11 lead changes in the fourth quarter alone, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 37-point game providing a tug-of-war from the other side. This night, though, would belong to Minnesota, who, after criticizing themselves for not decisively putting away less productive teams, exhibited an ability to at least rise to the big-game occasion. Minnesota used the victory to catapult a 56-win season — their most since 2004 — and ultimately, a Western Conference Finals appearance.