ClutchFans Game Thread: Timberwolves @ Rockets 4/25/2018 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 5)

As far as Minnesota sports talk goes it sounds like most have already conceded the series. There was way more talk about the what the Vikings are going to do in the draft tomorrow than the Twolves game tonight.

 

read his lips, no game 6!

 

http://www.startribune.com/timberwolves-jimmy-butler-before-game-5-we-can-win-this-game/480852031/

Timberwolves' Jimmy Butler before Game 5: `We can win this game.'
The Timberwolves know what an elimination game feels, smells and looks like. Just two weeks ago, they beat Denver in overtime on the regular season’s final day to reach the playoffs while the Nuggets went home for the summer.

But that was then, this is now.

Now the Wolves trail Houston 3-1 in a best-of-seven, first-round playoff series with Game 5 set for tonight at 8:30 p.m. at Toyota Center.

“Totally different environment, situation,” Wolves All-Star guard Jimmy Butler said after the team’s shootaround today. “We just have to go out and play basketball. Down 3-1, whatever you want to call it, our back against the walls, still if we do what we’re supposed to do – contest their shots, rebound and we score as well, we can win this game.”

Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau preached to his players – and the media, too – all season and advised them never to look ahead or behind, but always stay in the present.

Never will they need to heed that more than tonight, when they’re faced with the daunting prospect of beating a 65-victory Rockets team three times consecutively to advance to the second round.

Only 11 teams in NBA teams have done that, most recently by Cleveland in the 2016 NBA Finals against Golden State.

“That’s why you try to build that habit all year,” Thibodeau said. “Not to get ahead of yourself, not to get behind, but to concentrate exactly on what’s in front of you. You can’t allow other people to tell you what you think. It’s what you think and what you believe. That’s how you get through these type of things. You go play-by-play, quarter-by-quarter. Once you realize that, it makes things do-able.

“That’s what we have to have. We have to have a belief, that we can do it. We have to have an intensity that we can do and we can get it done.”

Also at shoot, starting point guard Jeff Teague participated after he dislocated his pinkie finger in Monday’s lopsided Game 5 loss, but returned to the game after he popped in back into place. He went 1-for-7 from the field in 28 minutes that night after a 23-point performance in a resounding Game 3 victory.

Thibodeau said he expects Teague will play as usual and called the dislocation, “a weird sort of thing. That hurt him some, but he’s fine today.”

Thibodeau also said he is hopeful backup point guard Tyus Jones will play after he missed Game 4 because of a sore knee. Jones participated in shoot today. He did on Monday, too, even with the sore knee, but Jones couldn’t get the knee “loose” enough before the game to play, Thibodeau said.

“I think he’s feeling better,” Thibodeau said. “He will go through warmup tonight. Hopefully, he’ll be available.”

OLDER POST

 

Mark Rosen, Minneapolis Channel 4 sportscaster, just reminded the audience that the Twolves weren't actually eliminated on Monday and there is a game tonight even though it feels that way.

 

Unless something changed since yesterday morning, Capela is leading the league in postseason rebounding.

 

H Tine!!!!

Hol it dine!!!!

 

Nervous.. I know I really shouldn't be but I'm just not really use to the Rockets in these situations.

 

I think we'll underestimate them and lose this one unfortunately.

Rockets lose in blowout fashion. 101-71

 

Rockets record this season:

Zarba 3-2 (including the last OKC game)
Forte 4-1
Wright 1-1
Lane-alt 2-3 (also did the last OKC game)

Zarba is another official with unique home/road splits: 29-35 at a -1.5 margin.

 

Todays my birthday, all I wants for the rockets to win the ring baby.
Its time

 

Happy birthday

 

So.. Let's go OKC?

 

I hope no knee jerkers today

 

It was my bday yesterday.

Still waitin on that gift @RasaqBoi is supposed to hook me up with

 

Why are u trolling this evening?

 

Let's do these boys like this tonight! No mercy!

 

It's all over but the crying for Minn. They will play tough,maybe even lead for part of the first and second quarter....but they are going down.I'll say 115-102.

 

We all need to send good juju to the team, people. Think positive thoughts. Visualize a victory. Imagine that you could actually afford tickets to the game and will be there in person. Hold that thought for another 22 minutes, and ignore that you're in front of your flat screen until the game starts. Then you won't give a damn. It'll be on!

Rockets? We want lift off!

 

OK, starting.