Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves sweep ‘superteam’ Suns; Commanders thrive, Panthers struggle in NFL Draft grades

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🐺 Good morning to everybody, however particularly …

THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

The Timberwolves and the Suns performed a whole lot of possessions within the first spherical, however two particularly, when the guests wanted it most in Sport 4, encapsulated all the sequence.

Trailing 113-111 with beneath three minutes left, Kevin Durant obtained nice publish place in opposition to Mike Conley, who’s almost a foot shorter. Straightforward scoring alternative, proper? Improper: a well timed double-team thwarted one of many biggest offensive gamers ever. He kicked it out. Ought to be an open shot, proper? Improper: an ideal defensive rotation compelled Phoenix to swing the ball round. And when Bradley Beal broke the protection down and tried to kick it out, Nickeil Alexander-Walker intercepted it.

Down they went to the opposite finish. Anthony Edwards sized up Beal and blew by him like he did not exist earlier than unleashing a ferocious dunk on Durant, the kind of dunk that leaves you half in surprised silence and half wanting to face up and scream “Ohhhhh!” at your TV. I do not even bear in mind which one I did.

Sport. Set. Match. The Suns by no means obtained any nearer.

Edwards is a celebrity — not a star, a celebrity — and you’ll not see a extra aggressive celebrity on each ends. His Timberwolves are a pressure. Minnesota completed off its first sweep in franchise historical past and first sequence win since 2004 with a 122-116 win in Phoenix.

Edwards scored 31 of his 40 factors after halftime. Karl-Anthony Cities added 28 factors. Jaden McDaniels had 18 and is among the many league’s most disruptive wing defenders. It is becoming he leads the league’s finest protection. The Timberwolves obtained swept by the Suns within the common season however utterly flipped the script within the playoffs, utilizing their measurement, physicality and doggedness to dominate a top-heavy Suns staff.

It is probably the most spectacular first-round efficiency by far. And so they’re coming for extra. Let’s hope Chris Finch can coach no matter comes subsequent after a brutal late-game collision with Conley.

What’s extra: Colin Ward-Henninger writes that in a world with out deep playoff runs from the likes of Stephen Curry, Durant and LeBron James, coupled with the emphatic performances of the sport’s youthful stars, it certain feels just like the NBA’s unofficial altering of the guard is formally underway.

•  Ward-Henninger: “… the youth motion is prospering, beginning with Edwards in all his charismatic bravado. The highest-seeded Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, led by 25-year-old MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, grew to become the primary staff in NBA historical past to have all of their factors scored by gamers age 25 or youthful in a playoff sport. One other 25-year-old MVP finalist, Luka Doncic, helms what was the most popular staff within the Western Convention getting into the postseason.”

👍 Honorable mentions

⛅ And never such a very good morning for …

THE PHOENIX SUNS

We’ll make this fast. The Suns had been no match for the Timberwolves. They weren’t powerful or robust sufficient, they did not work laborious sufficient, they usually merely did not have sufficient. Devin Booker (49 factors) and Kevin Durant (33 factors) had been terrific. The remainder of the staff, and particularly Beal (4-for-13 capturing, 9 factors, six turnovers, fouled out), no-showed.

After Sport 3, Brad Botkin wrote Durant’s superteam efforts failing again and again. And after an embarrassing sweep, Sam Quinn says the superteam period is finished, and Phoenix’s future is bleak.

•  Quinn: “If this all sounds grim … properly … yeah. It ought to. That is bleak. It is without doubt one of the bleakest units of circumstances going through any staff within the NBA proper now. It is solely going to get bleaker … There is no apparent pivot or strategic strategy that may repair this for the Suns. They misunderstood the place the league was after they traded for Beal they usually misunderstood the place it was going after they traded for Durant. … The almost definitely final result right here is that the Suns had been merely flawed.”

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 NFL Draft: Winners, losers, grades and rating younger QB conditions

The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone — here is each single decide — and our specialists have assessed who did the very best. One staff, and one staff solely, obtained an “A+” in Pete Prisco’s grades — the Washington Commanders.

• Prisco: “Greatest Choose: It was their first one, quarterback Jayden Daniels. I believe he would be the finest quarterback from this draft. They locked up a franchise passer with decide No. 2. He will probably be dynamic. … The Skinny: In his first yr working the draft, basic supervisor Adam Peters killed it. … I preferred all their second-round picks in defensive deal with Johnny Newton, nook Mike Sainristil and tight finish Ben Sinnott. They drafted plenty of gifted soccer gamers.”

Chris Trapasso additionally graded each staff, together with grades for each single participant. Sure, all 257. Three groups earned an “A” from Chris.

Not everybody did properly, although. Will Brinson turned in his winners and losers, and the most important loser from final yr’s draft (thus far) did not do properly this yr, both, in his estimation.

Pay attention, it is brutal to have to investigate drafts instantly after they occur. I applaud Pete, Chris and Will for doing it. There’ll all the time be opinions that age like milk. There will probably be takes that age like wonderful wine, too. That comes with the territory. Nobody thought Tom Brady can be an A++++++++++++++.

So I will stick my neck out with a number of drafts I preferred/disliked, too.

• I preferred the Ravens. Cornerbacks Nate Wiggins (first spherical) and T.J. Tampa (fourth, despite the fact that he had a second-round grade) might play instantly. So might deal with Roger Rosengarten. Each had been large positions of want for Baltimore.
• I preferred the Cowboys. Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe could possibly be early starters. Guyton has super potential due to his athleticism and construct, and Dallas is superb at molding potential into outcomes. Marshawn Kneeland was a late riser who augments the cross rush.
• I disliked the Panthers. I am undecided about Xavier Legette over another receivers who had been obtainable, and Carolina traded up for him. Carolina additionally traded up for Jonathan Brooks, including to an already-crowded working again room. Do not get me flawed: I like Brooks, I simply do not just like the assets the Panthers used to get him. However did I just like the Ja’Tavion Sanders decide!

However, hey, go forward. Roast me.

This is extra from the weekend:

🏀 Candace Parker retires; Kiki Iriafen to USC; WNBA coaching camps open

From hellos to goodbyes and lots in between, there was a ton of motion throughout girls’s basketball this weekend.

Let’s begin with a bittersweet goodbye. Candace Parker known as it a profession, and what a profession it was. Throughout 16 seasons with the Sparks, Sky and Aces …

• 6,574 factors (ninth all-time)
• 3,467 rebounds (third all-time)
• Seven-time All-Star
• Two-time MVP (2008, 2016)
• 2016 Finals MVP
• Solely participant in WNBA historical past to win a championship with three completely different franchises

The final of these three got here with Las Vegas this previous season, although she struggled with a foot harm, and that performed an element in her determination.

The announcement got here the identical day WNBA coaching camps opened. The preseason begins Could 3, and the common season begins Could 14. Listed here are the entire key dates.

Jack has one massive query for each staff. 

As for the way forward for the league, two potential future No. 1 picks are teaming up at USC. Kiki Iriafen transferred to USC, the place she’ll be part of JuJu Watkins. Iriafen averaged 19.4 factors and 11 rebounds final season, highlighted by a 41-point effort in opposition to Iowa State within the NCAA Event.

📺 What we’re watching Monday

🏒 Sport 5: Lightning at Panthers, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Sport 4: Celtics at Warmth, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
⚾ Twins at White Sox, 7:40 p.m. on FS1
🏀 Sport 4: Thunder at Pelicans, 8:30 p.m. on NBA TV
🏒 Sport 4: Stars at Golden Knights, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Sport 5: Lakers at Nuggets, 10 p.m. on TNT