Game Preview #62 – Timberwolves vs. Grizzlies

Minnesota Timberwolves at Memphis Grizzlies
Date: March third, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeartwork Radio

There’s a really particular form of confidence that creeps in if you beat the Denver Nuggets on nationwide tv. It’s the “we’re back” confidence. And proper now, the Minnesota Timberwolves are flirting with that model of themselves.

Six wins of their final seven. A convincing Sunday afternoon win over Jokic and the Nuggets. A leapfrog within the standings. Suddenly they’re sitting tied for the third greatest file within the West, staring on the Houston Rockets, and licking their chops.

It feels good. It ought to really feel good.

But earlier than we begin fantasizing residence court docket in Round 1, let’s take a wholesome dose of actuality. The margin for error within the West remains to be razor skinny. The Wolves have momentum, however they have not precisely seemed like world-beaters throughout this stretch. They’ve gained video games that ought to’ve been snug by making them unnecessarily dramatic. They’ve flirted with catastrophe in opposition to inferior opponents and wanted fourth-quarter gear shifts to outlive.

Which brings us to this week’s three-sport homestand: Memphis. Toronto. Orlando.

On paper? Bankable wins. In actuality? Potential landmines.

Because the Wolves do not have a “talent” downside. They have a “professional urgency on random Tuesday nights” downside. Which makes this Memphis Grizzlies group probably the most harmful opponents they may face…

The Setup: The Games You Have to Bank

March is a gauntlet. After this homestand, Minnesota heads west to face each LA groups, Golden State, after which south for the fourth and remaining showdown with OKC. That’s not a sightseeing tour. That’s a standings reshuffle ready to occur.

So if the Wolves need that three-seed, if they need residence court docket in Round 1, in the event that they need to keep away from staring down OKC within the second spherical prefer it’s a dentist appointment, they should stack the video games which can be sitting proper in entrance of them.

Memphis is a type of. And earlier than you (or the Wolves) start to mentally add a digit to the win column, cease and keep in mind that these Grizzlies have already crushed Minnesota twice this season. The most up-to-date upset was at the beginning of February in a type of video games the place the Wolves assumed they may flip the change late, solely to understand the ability had been disconnected.

When we get to April and we’re recapping the “what could have been” portion of the season, these Memphis losses are going to glow in neon. This is a group Minnesota has a transparent expertise benefit over. And but, lack of depth and professionalism already put two notches within the loss column.

They can’t afford a 3rd.

#1: Take This Personally (And Take It Seriously)

The Grizzlies punched Minnesota within the mouth twice. Both instances, the Wolves walked in considering it was a formality. That cannot occur once more.

This must be a type of video games the place the Wolves keep in mind the style of blood. Where they arrive out like they’ve had this date circled since February 2nd. Where they do not “feel it out” for 1 / 4 and a half.

Jump on them early. Crank the defensive aggression up instantly. Dive for free balls. Sprint in transition. End defensive possessions with rebounds. Make Memphis really feel like they wandered into the mistaken constructing.

Because when you allow them to dangle round, when you let this turn out to be a fourth-quarter coin flip, you are inviting déjà vu.

And Wolves followers have had sufficient déjà vu this season to final a lifetime.

Memphis has pivoted away from the core that knocked the Wolves out of the playoffs in 2022. Jaren Jackson Jr. is gone, shipped to Utah on the deadline. Desmond Bane was jettisoned earlier than the season. The identification that when made Memphis harmful has been dismantled piece by piece. Ja Morant remains to be there, solely as a result of no person else was desirous to tackle that specific curler coaster. This isn’t the identical Grizzlies group that one gave the impression to be the subsequent nice Western Conference contender.

But Ty Jerome? He’s actual. He already proved a month in the past that he can dangle with Minnesota and put sufficient factors on the board to steal the sport. And when you let him get snug, he’ll begin doing that annoying factor the place position gamers flip into All-NBA guys for an evening.

Anthony Edwards. Ayo Dosunmu. Jalen Clark. Donte DiVincenzo. They all must take turns sitting in Jerome’s jersey.

#3: Keep Jaden McDaniels Unlocked

Jaden McDaniels is the Wolves’ secret ingredient. When he is passive, the Wolves are good. When he is aggressive, they’re terrifying. We noticed it in opposition to Denver. McDaniels attacking downhill, ending on the rim, getting excessive-proportion appears to be like. I’ve tilted the ground.

The Wolves must deal with the subsequent six weeks as a referendum on totally integrating McDaniels as a 3rd pillar of this offense. Not an afterthought. Not a “stand in the corner and wait” man.

If this group heads into the postseason as a respectable three-headed monster of Ant, Randle, and McDaniels, that is a totally completely different ceiling. Minnesota must be executed with six-level Jaden video games. Finch and the employees must scheme him into motion early. Get him touches. Get him downhill. Let him really feel the sport.

One of probably the most encouraging developments from Sunday? Edwards passing out of doubles. He did not pressure it in opposition to Denver. I’ve trusted the learn. He let teammates cook dinner. That’s when Minnesota’s offense appears like a 5-lane freeway as an alternative of a one-man road.

Memphis in all probability will not double Ant the way in which Denver did. But the philosophy has to remain the identical: Share it. Swing it. Keep the protection sincere.

There is zero cause for this to return into iso-heavy, dribble-the-air-out-of-the-ball basketball. The Wolves are way more harmful when the ball is whipping across the perimeter and the protection is chasing shadows. This isn’t a “prove you’re the best player in the building” sport. It’s a “prove you’re the most professional team in the building” sport.

#5: Defend the Perimeter Like It’s a Playoff Game

The solely method Memphis stays alive right here is that if Minnesota presents them area with lazy rotations, turnstile perimeter protection., and broad-open threes as a result of somebody did not really feel like tagging the shooter.

If Memphis earns powerful buckets, positive, however do not be the explanation they get simple ones. Close out onerous. Contain on the level of assault. Rotate with objective. Make it really feel suffocating.

This must be a blowout win. Honestly? Anything much less is unacceptable.

The Big Picture: Climb the Ladder, One Rung at a Time

The Wolves did the onerous half Sunday.

They beat Denver. They flipped the script. They vaulted within the standings. It was a press release win.

But assertion wins solely matter when you do not step on a rake 48 hours later.

The canine days of January and February are behind us. The postseason is seen on the horizon. Now it is about stacking wins. Banking video games you are speculated to win. Turning momentum into separation.

Do you need the three-seed? Do you need residence court docket? Do you need the other aspect of OKC? Then deal with Memphis like what they’re proper now: a stepping stone.

Not coasting. Not “we’ll turn it on later.” Not letting inferior groups dictate phrases.

Keep climbing, one run at a time.

Memphis is the subsequent grip.