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The Cleveland Cavaliers are moving on, courtesy of a certain Fro.

Let’s check on tonight’s winners and losers.

WINNER – Jarrett **c**** Allen

I’m not sure if there was a more encouraging way for the Cavs to exorcise some demons and advance to the second round than Jarrett Allen going full-on beast mode in a Game 7.

Are the lights no longer too bright?

Allen was steady in the first half, immediately making his presence felt on both ends of the floor. But it wasn’t until the third quarter that all hell broke loose. Allen scored 14 points and hauled in 10 rebounds during that period, suddenly appearing anywhere a rebound was available.

This was the total package from Allen. Offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities. Rejecting shots at the rim, then securing stops with his defensive rebounding. All the while, Allen rolled hard to the basket and kept applying pressure on Toronto’s undersized frontcourt to stave him off. They weren’t successful, and Allen made sure to take full advantage of it.

The Cavs fired off their fake-snow machine for a ‘Cavalanche’ in the fourth quarter. Moments before, Allen received loud MVP chants at the free-throw line. He finished with 22 points and 19 gigantic rebounds. To say it again, beast mode.

Allen has had some real stinkers in big spots. We’ve seen him look totally invisible in some of the most important games of the season. Tonight couldn’t have been any more different. You couldn’t watch a possession without noticing Allen on the floor. This was the best performance of his career in arguably his biggest game to date.

LOSER – First Half Turnovers

Every second you’re trailing in a Game 7 feels like you’re drowning. The Cavs drowned for nearly the entire first half, only getting a brief gasp of breath when the game was tied in the closing moments of the second quarter.

Turnovers were the primary reason for that struggle.

The Cavs turned it over 13 times in the first half. To his credit, only one of those came from James Harden. The rest of the Cavalier starters coughed it up 10 times. That’s the type of stuff that can end your season.

Cleveland knew this would be an area of concern against the Raptors. This is a team that thrived on generating steals and taking them in transition. Toronto flexed its strengths early in this game by scoring 14 points off turnovers in the first half.

WINNER – The Role Players

As mentioned, the first half of this game wasn’t pretty. The Cavs were flirting with an early deficit that could have closed the door on anything meaningful happening in the second half. There are a lot of reasons they avoided that outcome.

One of them is Merrill.

This wasn’t a super explosive game from Merrill. But his timely shot-making was a life jacket during an otherwise stormy section of the game. Toronto recovers and closes out to shooters as quickly as any defense in the NBA. Merrill is just faster.

Merrill also deserves credit for his defense. The tone of this game shifted when he and Max Strus began pressuring the ball full court. Neither one can be considered a defensive stopper, but hustle and heart go a long way in a win-or-go-home setting.

Next on the list are Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson. Each player came up in crucial moments throughout this game.

Strus did a little bit of everything, scoring 10 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and dishing 5 assists. Oh, he had 2 steals and 1 block, as well. He might have struggled at various points in this series, but Max remains the type of player who you want on the floor in the biggest spots.

Then there’s Tyson, who is quickly proving that even in his sophomore season, no moment is too big.

Tyson changed the dynamic of this game by being able to float around the free-throw line and create from the middle of the floor. His guard-guard screening unlocked so much for the Cavs offense, and his game-tying shot near the end of the first half gave the Cavs their first gasp of breath all night.

“I thought Jaylon was huge,” said Kenny Atkinson. “It was amazing, James and Don just gave him the ball and let him go ahead — we needed that.”

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 12 assists, Tobias Harris added 30 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 116-94 in Game 7 on Sunday to win a playoff series for the first time in 18 years.

Cunningham averaged 32.4 points for Detroit, which last won a postseason series by beating Orlando in the second round in 2008. The Pistons advance to play the winner of Sunday evening’s Game 7 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. Game 1 will be Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena.

The Pistons became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit and the second in the last two nights, after the Philadelphia 76ers came back to eliminate Boston.

They trailed by 24 points in Game 6 in Orlando before rallying to take the series at home. Orlando only scored 113 points in the final six quarters of the series — an average of 18.8 per period.

Cunningham and Harris became the first Pistons teammates to score 30 points in a playoff game since Bob Lanier (33) and Howard Porter (30) against the Golden State Warriors on April 17, 1977.

CAVALIERS 114, RAPTORS 102

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jarrett Allen tied his playoff career high with 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a victory over Toronto in Game 7 of their series.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 22 points and James Harden added 18 in a series in which the home team won all seven games.

Cleveland, the No. 4 seed, will visit top-seeded Detroit on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the second round. The Central Division rivals split their four regular-season meetings.

Scottie Barnes had 24 points and nine rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 23 for the Raptors, who were in the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Allen had 14 points and 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end, as Cleveland went on a 49-21 run during a 15-minute span over the second and third quarters where it turned a nine-point deficit into an 19-point advantage.

Toronto led for most of the first half and had a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter before Cleveland began its comeback.

The Cavaliers were down 47-38 with 2:58 remaining before going on a 11-2 run to close the half and tie it at 49. The Cavs were 4 of 17 on 3-pointers before Harden, Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson connected from beyond the arc.

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 4-3 to advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

22 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers

This wasn’t a great game from Mitchell, per se. We’ve seen him play much better than this. But compared to his recent performances, this felt huge. Mitchell fit in more than he fit out, despite starting the game 6-16 from the floor. The Cavs better utilized the space around him, cutting into the lane and pounding the offensive glass.

If you can’t get Mitchell free, you can at least use the defensive attention he receives to your advantage elsewhere. The Cavs did that, and Mitchell leaned further into it than in the games before.

Grade: C+

James Harden

18 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 turnovers

Harden took care of the ball for his fewest turnovers in a game this series. That’s impressive stuff for a player who has struggled in elimination games in the past. Harden, like Mitchell, didn’t have his shot falling tonight. He was only 1-5 from deep and 3-9 from the floor. But he worked the extra mile to get into the teeth of Toronto’s defense and forced them into rotation just enough to keep the offense running smoothly.

Then on defense, Harden had his occasional lapses, but he also turned up huge for three steals that all felt like energizers.

He, of course, also kept the bigs involved. That’s half the reason you traded for him.

Grade: B

Evan Mobley

13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Mobley was a beast in games 5-6. His increased aggression and clutch performances were everything you hoped to see from him. I wouldn’t say much changed about his approach to tonight — only that his frontcourt partner stole the show.

This should be a moment of graduation for Mobley. He responded to a horrid stretch on the road by rattling off three of the more impactful and successful games of his playoff career. If he carries this forward, the Cavs will be in serious business.

Grade: B

Jarrett Allen

22 points, 19 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks

I don’t think anything I type will do justice to the type of night Jarrett Allen just had.

“Man, he really put us over the top,” said Kenny Atkinson. “Best I’ve seen him.”

The Fro put on an absolute clinic in playoff toughness. He bruised the Toronto frontcourt, hammering them on the glass for 19 rebounds, 8 of which were offensive. Each rebound feels bigger than the last when playing in a Game 7 on your home floor. Allen punched in a deadly combo and ended the Raptors’ season with his rim-running efforts.

Grade: A+++

Dean Wade

5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Wade returned to the starting lineup tonight, and it immediately felt like the Cavs made the wrong decision. His indecisiveness on offense can make it hard to keep him on the floor. Especially against an aggressive team like the Raptors.

But Wade’s defense more than made up for that in this series. And despite this being his worst offensive game of the series, his minutes still felt impactful.

Grade: C+

Max Strus

12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Strus shot just 2-8 from downtown but was a team-high plus 20 tonight. I don’t think that’s a mistake. He had one of his better games of the series, bringing all of the intangibles you need to pull off a Game 7 victory. His intensity as an on-ball defender was a bright spot and something we hadn’t seen from him yet in the playoffs this year.

Grade: B+

Jaylon Tyson

7 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists

Tyson’s composure in his first Game 7 was a standout. The young wing has never feared the moment before, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise.

The Cavs used Tyson in the short-roll to unlock their offense and punish Toronto for swarming the ball. His decision-making over the last two games showed that Tyson’s versatility can translate to the playoffs. The lights will only get brighter, but Tyson seems to be ready for that pressure.

Grade: B+

Sam Merrill

13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Merrill’s scoring kept the Cavs from falling too far behind in the first half. His quick trigger from deep was a vital release valve for Cleveland against an athletic Raptors defense.

Grade: A-

Dennis Schroder

2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist

Schroder’s Game 5 takeover was the anomaly from this series. Still, the additional ball handling he provides took pressure off Mitchell and Harden and widened their margin for error. That was helpful, though Schroder shot just 1-7 from the floor.

Grade: D

The Cleveland Cavaliersdid enough to get past a plucky Toronto Raptors team that put up a much better fight than we thought going into the series. Now, they have their hands full against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team.

The Pistons didn’t look like the juggernaut they were in the regular season in the first four games of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. All of the concerns about their offense not being able to translate to the playoffs were validated. That was, until things changed in the last three games.

Whether or not you want to attribute the Pistons’ coming back from their 3-1 deficit to their grit and determination or if you want to chalk it up to the Magic folding is up to you. Both views are valid. What we can confidently say is that there are ways that this Pistons team will really push the Cavs.

Detroit had the second-best defense in the league throughout the regular season. That is mostly attributed to their ability to keep teams from getting to the basket. They limited their opponents to the fifth-fewest shots at the rim throughout the year. And when they did allow a look in the restricted area, teams converted on only 62.8% of those attempts, which is the second-best percentage in the league.

Their biggest strength carried over to the playoffs. The Pistons had the best defensive rating in the first round (103.2). The principles that made them so formidable in the regular season were present against Orlando. The Magic converted only 56.2% of their looks at the rim.

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This is one of the areas Toronto had success with against the Cavs in the first round. They kept Mitchell from getting into the lane, effectively making him an outside shooter. He wasn’t able to make them pay for that strategy, which is one of the reasons the offense struggled as much as it did.

Detroit presents a lot of those same issues. If you can keep Mitchell from getting to the basket, offense becomes a lot more difficult for Cleveland.

At the same time, Detroit doesn’t have a defender as equipped as Scottie Barnes was at staying in front of Mitchell. Barnes’s combination of size and length disrupted Mitchell in a way we haven’t seen before in the postseason. Even if Detroit has a better overall defense, Mitchell should be able to get going a little bit easier than he did in the first round.

The Pistons’ offense has been the big concern all year. The first round didn’t do anything to dispel those worries.

Detroit’s offense became stagnant in the half-court against Orlando. They weren’t able to get the three-ball to fall, Jalen Duran’s easy offense dried up, and everything fell on Cade Cunningham’s shoulders.

Cunningham is one of the best players in the league and showed why in the second half of the first round. He single-handedly willed his team to victory as he recorded 45, 32, and 32 points in the three elimination games.

Dean Wade will once again play a huge role for the Cavs in the second round. He’ll be tasked with keeping the other team’s best player under wraps. Wade handled that assignment well when he was matched up against Brandon Ingram and Barnes. Cunningham is much better than both, considering his incredible playmaking ability.

If you can keep Cunningham in check, the Pistons’ offense can fall apart quite quickly, as we saw in the first half of the first round. Tobias Harris, Daniss Jenkins, and Caris LeVert are fine role players, but they aren’t elite secondary creators. That, combined with the lack of outside shooting, makes them way too dependent on one player than you’d ideally like.

Still, this will be a dog fight. The Cavs have struggled mightily with physical and aggressive teams in the playoffs. Detroit will be the grittiest and toughest team this core has ever faced. Even though the Pistons aren’t a perfect team and may not be a true title contender, they will give the Cavs all they can handle. Expect this series to go long.

Game 1 tips off Tuesday night in Detroit at 7 PM.

The Cleveland Cavaliers might’ve saved this era of basketball with a Game 7 victory over the Toronto Raptors. However, they won’t have long to celebrate that victory. They’ll be back in action right away as they start the second-round series against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday evening.

Here’s how the schedule looks:

• Game 1 in Detroit: Tue., May 5 at 7 PM on NBCSN and Peacock
• Game 2 in Detroit: Thur., May 7 at 7 PM on Prime Video
• Game 3 in Cleveland: Sat., May 9 at 3 PM on NBC and Peacock
• Game 4 in Cleveland: Mon., May 11 at 8 PM on NBC and Peacock
• Game 5 in Detroit: Wed., May 13, time and TV TBD
• Game 6 in Cleveland: Fri., May 15, time and TV TBD
• Game 7 in Detroit: Sun., May 17, time and TV TBD

Games five through seven will only be played if necessary.

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There’s only one day between each game in this series. That could be difficult for both teams that are coming off grueling seven-game series in the first round, with each ending on Sunday.

This is expected to be a close series. They split their four games in the regular season.

The Cavs prevailed in their first meeting in October, 116-95, in a game that was much more lopsided than the final score accurately indicates. Donovan Mitchell scored an effortless 35 points in the victory.

Detroit came back and won the next two.

On Jan. 4, the Cavs had a chance to win late, but Ausar Thompson won the game with an offensive rebound and putback to secure a 114-110 victory. In February, the Pistons took care of a skeleton-crew Cavs team in a crazy overtime win.

Finally, the Cavs won their last meeting of the season in March 113-109 without Mitchell. James Harden had 18 points and seven assists in the victory.

We’ll see how the postseason shakes out when the series starts in a few days.

CLEVELAND — To say losing Game 7 to the Toronto Raptors would be disastrous for the Cleveland Cavaliers is an understatement.

Eight years of building led to the most expensive roster in the league that traded for a 36-year-old former All-Star at the deadline just to save this season. Dropping this game would’ve been an indictment of every decision the front office made that led to this point, as well as the players who once again got bounced in the playoffs by a lower-seeded team.

However, judgment day has been cancelled. Or at the very least, it’s been put off for at least a week.

It wasn’t pretty in the first half, but a strong response in the second half was enough to close out a plucky Raptors team in seven games, 114-102. It should’ve never gotten to this point, but the Cavs did what they needed to grab a win. And at this point, that’s all that matters.

As has been the case throughout most of this series, the Cavs started poorly. Jarrett Allen missed a wide-open dunk on Cleveland’s first offensive possession. That set the tone for what became a disastrous first quarter.

Toronto was once again the aggressor. They jumped out to an early 10-point lead behind seven early points from certified Cavalier killer Jamal Shead.

This continued in the second quarter.

Toronto held a nine-point advantage with 2:41 left in the first half, but the Cavs erased it just before the break. A 11-2 run, capped off by a Jaylon Tyson triple, evened things up and gave Cleveland momentum for the first time all evening.

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That carried over into the third quarter. The Cavs registered the first nine points of the second half. In total, the Cavs had a 20-2 run that flipped a nine-point deficit into a nine-point advantage.

Evan Mobley picked up his fourth foul just four minutes into the half. That meant that the Cavs would have to rely on Jarrett Allen for likely the remainder of the third quarter.

However, what looked like a lifeline for a Raptors team that was losing momentum was actually the final nail in the coffin for their season.

Allen, who’s been much maligned for not showing up in the biggest moments, put the game away. He was the best player on either team all night — that showed up most in the third quarter. He single-handedly squashed the Raptors’ hopes every time they had something positive going their way.

Defensively, Allen was everywhere. He shut down seemingly every drive to the basket by providing great contests without fouling and was there to clean up the glass when Toronto missed.

Offensively, Allen dominated the paint in all the ways you want him to. He forcefully attacked the basket every time he had a runway to do so. And when another Cavalier had the audacity to take a shot, Allen was there to clean up the mess if they missed.

In the end, he registered 14 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter with five coming on the offensive end in the third quarter. By contrast, the Raptors as a team had just 19 points and eight rebounds in the third.

Allen’s efforts allowed the Cavs to win the third 38-19.

The Raptors didn’t roll over in the fourth. They cut what was a 22-point deficit to 11, but they weren’t able to get closer than that.

Allen led the way with 22 points and 19 rebounds on 7-11 shooting in what was an all-around team effort.

Cleveland received positive contributions from nearly everyone who stepped on the floor. Sam Merrill poured in 13 points on 3-7 outside shooting. Max Strus provided hustle and grit, which led to him leading the team in plus/minus by being a +20. Jaylon Tyson supplied great energy on both ends and hit some momentum-changing shots.

These contributions were much needed on a night when the Cavs’ backcourt wasn’t the best version of themselves.

Donovan Mitchell was held to 22 points or less for the fourth time this series. He had 22 on 9-20 shooting.

James Harden kept the offense on schedule and did a good job of taking care of the ball. However, he didn’t have his most efficient day shooting as he went 3-9 from the field. Nearly all 18 of his points came at the free-throw line, where he went 11-13.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett led the way once again for Toronto. Barnes paced the team with 24 points on 8-14 shooting to go along with six assists. Barrett put in 23 points and six assists in the loss.

The win keeps the season alive. They’ll head to take on the 60-win Detroit Pistons, led by former Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, in the second round. That series starts in Detroit on Tuesday at 7 PM.

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While the Minnesota Timberwolves have listed Anthony Edwards as “questionable” for Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs, a logical mind doubts the superstar will return just yet.

These Timberwolves vs. Spurs predictions and NBA picks understand Minnesota needs to adjust its approach regardless of Edwards’ availability on Monday, May 4.

Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1 prediction

Timberwolves vs Spurs best bet: Rudy Gobert Under 10.5 rebounds (+102)

The Minnesota Timberwolves wouldn’t have advanced without Rudy Gobert, but that resounding series has raised his props too high when the San Antonio Spurs await.

Gobert faced Victor Wembanyama only once this season, but he only played 29 minutes in that 104-103 Timberwolves win despite not being in foul trouble.

Wembanyama can camp out in the paint on defense when Gobert is in the game, stifling any Minnesota drives.

Without their two best shooters, the Timberwolves need some space inside. Expect more five-out lineups from Minnesota with Julius Randle as the primary defender on Wembanyama.

COVERS INTEL:The Spurs took 12.4 corner 3-pointers per game in the regular season, shooting 39% from there compared to 34% from above the break.

Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1 same-game parlay

Quite possibly the biggest X-factor in this series — aside from when Anthony Edwards can return from a hyperextended knee and bone bruise that currently has him officially considered somewhere between week-to-week and questionable — may be how Julius Randle shoots from beyond the arc.

If Gobert’s minutes need to be limited to draw Wembanyama out of the paint, thus obviously impacting Gobert’s scoring as well as his rebounding, then Randle hitting some 3-pointers will best pull Wembanyama out of the paint. But Randle is a streaky shooter. From Feb. 1 to the end of the regular season, he shot 27.3% from deep.

Do not bet on Randle’s shooting until he proves it in this series. But he will get that chance, and he should play plenty of minutes to rack up rebounds.

Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP

• Rudy Gobert Under 10.5 rebounds
• Rudy Gobert Under 8.5 points
• Julius Randle Over 6.5 rebounds

Timberwolves vs Spurs odds for Game 1

• Spread: Timberwolves +13.5 | Spurs -13.5
• Moneyline: Timberwolves +500 | Spurs -700
• Over/Under: Over 216.5 | Under 216.5

Timberwolves vs Spurs betting trend to know

Both the Timberwolves and the Spurs were considered “Under” teams this season, Minnesota cashing Unders in 49 of now 88 games (55.75%) while San Antonio did so in 51 of 87 games (58.6%). Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Spurs.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1

Timberwolves vs Spurs latest injuries

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In the Thunder’s last series, Suns guard Devin Booker had a bit of a crash out while airing his grievances over officiating and, specifically, with James Williams, who Lakers fans will be familiar with.

There shouldn’t be any similar remarks from the Lakers this round, though, because, according to Lakers head coach JJ Redick, the Thunder don’t foul.

“You’re talking about a team that’s top five in every category that’s disruptive-based — steals, blocks, turnovers, forced, all that stuff,” Redick said after Sunday’s practice. “And they don’t foul. They somehow do all of that without fouling, which is one of the most remarkable things I think in NBA history.”

Add that to the keys of the game: the Thunder don’t foul.

No need to be concerned with how aggressive Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander is as an on-ball defender or his push-offs offensively. Don’t worry about Luguentz Dort committing a dirty play and putting a Lakers player at risk with a move that belongs in AEW, not the NBA. They don’t foul.

Don’t expect any Redick crashouts during this series. He will remain as cool as the other side of the pillow, since he wouldn’t be asking for a call when there isn’t one to make.

“They don’t foul,” Redick said. “The whistles aren’t gonna be there. So, it’s like, you accept that going in, they don’t foul.”

Given that the NBA is a copycat league, maybe other teams should try defending without fouling. Why foul when you can just play elite defense and clamp other teams down without reaching in or making illegal contact on an offensive player?

It’s going to be an uphill battle for the Lakers, who haven’t quite adopted the strategy of not fouling yet. Hopefully, they’ll be able to take some notes in this series.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

It is rumor central in Suns’ land, as every day it seems a new name pops up on social media, with fans discussing whether the team should trade for them. That is what comes with the offseason: speculation from fans, and it runs rampant when a team gets eliminated, too. This is where the latest rumor comes from, as in his latest reporting, Brett Siegel from Clutch Points stated this snippet.

Well, this is now interesting, isn’t it? Denver has just lost in the playoffs, and with their finish, it is clear that changes will take place. One of those could be Aaron Gordon, who struggled to stay healthy this year for the Nuggets. Yet even if that is the case, how do the Suns even do this, and does it even make sense?

How could it get done?

The Suns have multiple ways to get to Gordon’s remaining $71 million he is owed over the next two seasons, with the 2023 NBA Champion owed $31.9 million in 2026-27. One is with using Dillon Brooks, whom one Denver page has suggested.

Another is using Jalen Green’s contract to move off the young guard. Lastly, it is combining Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale’s deals to reach $30 million to trade for Gordon.

Which would make the most sense?

In my view, the first point doesn’t make sense, as Brooks has already shifted the culture for Phoenix, and there is no need to ship him out for someone who would do the same. Brooks also makes less than Gordon and is set up for an extension, one that the Suns want to pay him, so it does not look like he is on the move.

Green could make sense salary-wise for the Suns, but for the Nuggets, it does not at all. The Nuggets need to shed salary this year to resign Peyton Watson, so taking on Green does not make that easier. He would also be in a troubling situation with Jamal Murray.

Realistically, the last option makes the most sense for both parties. Denver can get some scorers alongside Nikola Jokic, and the Suns get a power forward. I still see a problem with this trade.

Why does it not get done?

This is due to the Nuggets realizing that, with this move, they are still dealing with salary issues. As I said earlier, the Nuggets want to re-sign Peyton Watson, and rumors have swirled that they might trade guys like Gordon to do so. Even with saving a little over $4 million on this deal, that is not enough to get a deal with Watson. Forcing the Nuggets to have them move off one of Allen or Royce to figure out how to still do cap gymnastics with Camreon Johnson or Christian Braun. This is a headache the Nuggets would rather not get into, even if it splits one of their contracts into two smaller ones.

For the Suns as well, yes, this allows more development time for Rasheer Fleming and Ryan Dunn, while slotting Gordon as the permanent power forward. With his injury history and larger contract, this is something I’d rather not jump on. Even if he brings championship experience and is a great fit, it is risky. If he is hurt, does this mean Fleming or Dunn is shoved to be the PF at one point? What if they are not ready? Will fans turn on them as they did with Oso Ighodaro when he was out of position at the beginning and end of the year? Those are questions I would rather not get into, because with this fanbase, we already know the answers.

As Mat Ishbia stated, continuity will be a big part of this team. I don’t think that means no moves will happen, but a change for a star role player doesn’t make sense.

What do you think? Do you think the Suns should do this?

The Spurs will host the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday as heavy favorites despite the uncertainty surrounding Anthony Edwards’ status. Even if the injured superstar guard returns, he’ll likely be limited by two knee injuries, so San Antonio is expected to win this series, as long as they play with the focus and intensity required for any postseason matchup.

So far, the “young team struggling with the bright lights” narrative hasn’t fit this group, but they will face a tough test against Minnesota. If Edwards remains out, they will have to avoid complacency and put away a veteran team with two consecutive trips to the Conference Finals on their back. If Edwards does return and looks anything closer to his best self, they’ll face a formidable opponent.

It’s an interesting matchup in many ways, but one that is hard to preview because of the potential absence of a superstar. For now, let’s assume Edwards will either be out for a few games and/or severely limited at least for the first few.

The Spurs should run their offense through Wembanyama, but without forcing things

Rudy Gobert is coming off a terrific series against the Nuggets in which he contained Nikola Jokic’s scoring largely by himself in the first few games, a feat that only a few others can even hope to achieve. He’ll get another chance at proving his many, many haters wrong about his playoff impact when he matches up with Wembanyama, but it’s arguably going to be a tougher battle for the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, as long as San Antonio plays smart

Unlike the Nuggets, the Spurs have enough shot-creation elsewhere to have Wemby to act as a decoy and draw Gobert out of the paint, putting tremendous pressure on a perimeter defense that is missing integral pieces. If Gobert sags off of Wemby to try to remain near the paint, as he did in their one regular-season matchup, Wemby can get open threes. The Timberwolves might decide to bet on Wemby, a streaky shooter, struggling to make them pay, but Wembanyama can also attack off the dribble if he has a runway and a well-spaced floor, and Gobert has traditionally struggled with agility more than strength.

At his best, Wembanyama is also less post-oriented than Jokic and can do work coming off screens and acting as a rim-runner. If Wemby’s shot is off and Gobert does a good job containing him one-on-one, allowing the Timberwolves to deny the corner three-pointers their defense does a terrific job of preventing, San Antonio can just force the big man to chase Wemby through the perimeter as they set him up for open jumpers. They can also use Wemby’s tremendous gravity as a roll man to get their guards going, as Gobert would likely focus on trying to prevent lobs and staying in place for defensive rebounds.

If the Spurs use Wembanyama smartly and Gobert struggles to guard him without much help, it might lead Chris Finch to do what other coaches have tried in the past: use a forward on Victor. Julius Randle had some success guarding Wembanyama on his own during the regular season as long as he was allowed to be physical with him, especially when the Spurs tried to get their superstar going through touches at the elbow or free-throw line. The problem then is that there’s no true safe place to slot Gobert. The Trail Blazers put their center on Stephon Castle, but he has hit shots and, equally importantly, has known when to take them and when to continue running the offense, even when he’s initially open.

The Timberwolves’ defense can be great at times, especially when Gobert is shining, but San Antonio has ways to hurt them, as long as they don’t fall for the trap of trying to get any one player going. Wembanyama, in particular, seems to understand now that at this point in his career, in which he lacks a go-to move, his versatility is his best weapon. As long as the ball and players move, scoring should not be too hard despite Minnesota having a few elite defenders.

The perimeter defense needs to be suffocating

While the big man matchup seems to be the key on offense for the Spurs, on the other end, the biggest battle will probably be waged on the perimeter. Julius Randle will score, and Naz Reid could take advantage of his size advantage against a smaller Spurs forward group, but San Antonio can live with that. The most important task with Edwards out or limited will be to prevent the other Wolves’ guards and Jaden McDaniels from going off, as they did in turns against the Nuggets.

Stephon Castle will likely be tasked with guarding McDaniels, unless Mitch Johnson makes the bold decision to put him on Randle. The Wolves wing is mostly known for his defense and might be an 11-point-per-game scorer for his career, but he averaged close to 18 against the Nuggets despite his outside shot abandoning him. He can use his length to shoot over defenders from midrange, and if he’s not pressured, he can get to his spots off the dribble on drives, finishing with finesse near the rim or with explosiveness at it. The Spurs have handled craftier scorers, but the importance of making McDaniels look like the elite role player he’s been instead of a nascent star ready to make the leap would have a direct impact on both Minnesota’s offense and their confidence.

Beyond McDaniels, the Wolves have some guys who can’t be discounted when it comes to exploding for big scoring nights. Ayo Dosunmu dropped 43 off the bench in one game against the Nuggets, and he’s a dynamic two-way guy with limitless energy. Bones Hyland might shoot a team out of a win, or he might string together enough buckets to keep the offense going for a stretch by himself. Shannon Jr. is not gun-shy, and his confidence should be sky-high after his performances in the last two games against Denver. Mike Conley, who is closer to retirement than his prime, can still pick apart a lazy defense or hit open shots if they are conceded to him.

It’s tempting to focus on the Timberwolves’ one true advantage on offense: their size at the big forward spots, and especially Randle’s scoring. But they are a team first and foremost, built around defense and a transcendent perimeter scoring talent that shouldn’t be at his peak whenever he returns. Preventing others from stepping up and filling that void is arguably the most important task for the Spurs this series.

Prediction: Spurs in 5

As mentioned, it’s hard to preview and even harder to predict a series in which there’s uncertainty about such a major factor. If Edwards returns early in the series and looks like himself, there’s no way the Wolves don’t make it a long battle that could go either way. If he takes a while to return or looks hobbled, and the Spurs play with appropriate fear against a tough, experienced opponent, their talent advantage should be enough to overcome a size disparity that favors Minnesota and get to the Conference Finals without suffering too much.