It was around this time last year when we released our five bold predictions for the 2023-24 Timberwolves. What did we predict? We said the Wolves would be the No. 1 seed in the West and a top-five defensive team; Naz Reid would win the Sixth Man of the Year award; Karl-Anthony Towns would be traded after the season; and the Wolves would beat the Bucks in the NBA Finals.

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Not bad, really. Minnesota ended up being the third seed in the West, just one game out of first place. They were the best defensive team in the NBA, Naz Reid won the sixth man award, KAT was traded after the season and they lost in the conference finals.

What are we planning for 2024-25? Here we go…

Last season, Edwards finished tied for 11th with 25.9 points per game. His average will skyrocket in 2024-25 now that Karl-Anthony Towns is with the Knicks. Towns was second on the team last season with 15.3 shots per game and Naz Reid was third with 10.8. Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and Reid will take a ton of shots this season and Jaden McDaniels will also see a boost, but Edwards will likely throw more attempts than anyone in the league.

Do you want proof? Look no further than the three preseason games Edwards played in. He shot eight 3-pointers against the 76ers, 13 against the Knicks and 16 against the Bulls. Edwards is going to shoot all game, every game – and he’s going to average over 30 points.

Minnesota wasn’t a great offensive team last year, which was pretty shocking considering head coach Chris Finch is known around the league as an offensive guru. When Edwards or KAT weren’t on the court, the Wolves simply struggled to generate offense. That will change this season with the most complete squad in the league.

If we assume that Edwards, McDaniels, and Reid improve with experience (Edwards is 23, McDaniels is 24, and Reid is 25), we can easily believe that they will become more efficient scorers. And what the Wolves lose to KAT in scoring, they make up for in DiVincenzo’s ability to shoot and score all over the court while opening the offense up for everyone. And often lost in the discussion of the 2024-25 Timberwolves is Randle, whose scoring ability should be maximized in Finch’s offense.

It will take 120 points per game to lead the NBA in scoring, and we see Minnesota increasing their scoring from 113 points per game last season to something closer to 120 this season.

Edwards is a guy. McDaniels is a guy. Rudy Gobert is a guy. DiVincenzo is a guy. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a guy. Mike Conley is capable and has solid length at the point guard position. Julius Randle is probably a better defensive fit in Minnesota than Towns. There’s simply no way the 2024-25 Timberwolves won’t be as good or better on the defensive end than last season’s team.

We like to think of it in the context of a moment in play where a stop is essential. In such a scenario, Minnesota can roll out a lineup that includes DiVincenzo, Edwards, Alexander-Walker, McDaniels and Gobert. That makes five defenders at a standstill. If they need to be bigger, they can just trade Alexander-Walker for Randle. This is fierce and will cause problems for the opposition.

It was a dogfight with the Thunder and Nuggets until the bitter end of last season. We know the Wolves and Thunder improved in the offseason and that Tyus Jones should elevate the Suns to a dangerous level. Let’s assume these top three spots are assured (these are, after all, bold predictions). After that, we think the Nuggets will fall back a bit and enter what should be a jumbled mess in the middle with the Mavericks, Kings, Grizzlies, and Pelicans. Then we have Lakers, Warriors, Rockets and Spurs battling it out in the backcourt.

Obviously, with a top-three offense and #1 defense, the Wolves will be tough in the playoffs. Obviously, we got them to the NBA Finals. The big question now is who they will face and we are ahead of the 76ers by a hair ahead of the Celtics and Knicks.

Philly is good, even if people are annoyed that they are openly considering limiting the number of consecutive games in which Joel Embiid and Paul George play. Tyrese Maxey is an elite point guard and Caleb Martin gives them a formidable two-way wing. in the starting lineup. They have plenty of experience on the bench with Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre and Andre Drummond, and rookie Jared McCain could emerge as a high-end shooter.

There’s no doubt that the Wolves and 76ers will need seven games to sort things out, and when all is said and done, confetti will fall on the Timberwolves as they hoist the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy on the center court of the Target Center.