Spurs draw ideal second-round prey as title path comes into focus

The Timberwolves just pulled off an improbable first-round win over the Denver Nuggets in six games. Congratulations to them. Now they get to leap several levels in class to play a hungry Spurs team that's been anxious to get back on the floor and conquer their next opponent.

Minnesota is a good team. Beating the 3x MVP Nikola Jokic and making him look, dare I say, pedestrian in several stretches throughout the series is nothing to sneeze at. Anthony Edwards suffered a hyperextension in his left knee in Game 4 of the opening round and never returned. But here's the rub that nobody is talking about: he wasn't playing that well anyway.

That's embarrassing for the Denver Nuggets. For San Antonio? That's pretty much guaranteeing a quick and easy series.

The Timberwolves can't hang with the Spurs without a healthy Antman

The explosive shooting guard is expected to return at some point during the series, but when exactly has yet to be determined. During the regular season, these teams played each other three times. Minnesota won the first game by double digits, but that was an early-season game. It was played in November, and both members of Area 51 were unavailable.

The Spurs and Timberwolves went 1-1 in the other two games, and both contests came down to the wire. They were dramatic, painstaking nights that took years off the lives of fans in Alamo City. Mainly because Edwards went ballistic each time. Those were knockdown, drag-out fights that wouldn't have been so without their superstar, and that guy is compromised.

The playoffs are different enough already, though. The Silver and Black's unselfish style of basketball makes them difficult to guard, and as we just saw against Portland, any of them can have a star night. The Timberwolves have a few guys who can go get buckets, but not like San Antonio. They play good defense as a team, but not like San Antonio.

The Spurs have every advantage in this series

The Spurs are almost the more evolved version of Minnesota. Rudy Gobert is a stud of an anchor on defense, but as great as he is in that role, he's not Victor Wembanyama. Stephon Castle hasn't quite reached Ant's level yet, but he's the young, athletic ball handler who's unafraid of the moment and will take any challenge on both sides of the floor.

Denver lost to this team because they were outhustled. The Timberwolves were younger, faster, and more athletic, so they used that to their advantage by turning up the pressure.

That strategy won't work against the Spurs. The Silver and Black have put the pedal to the metal all year, and they're just as athletic, if not more so. Nothing Minnesota can do will be new to them, and so I'm thinking a quick four games will get the job done. I know everyone will harp on experience, but experience doesn't play. Players do. And San Antonio has the better players. Period.

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