The Timberwolves’ offensive approach won’t change next season — the execution will have to

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Multiple times throughout the Western Conference Finals, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch recognized the abilities of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic to withstand defensive pressure and knock down tough shots.

At some point, incredible offensive players will find ways to score. Particularly in crunch time, Finch said you simply have to “score alongside of them.”

And that’s just not something Minnesota proved capable of doing for sustained stretches this season.

The Wolves sported just an average offense all season and were more than capable of stalling out for lengthy stretches. It was the team’s ultimate downfall. Which is surprising for an offense that features the likes of Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mike Conley.

“We need to get better offensively,” Finch said after the season’s conclusion.

But don’t expect that to come via any sweeping personnel or schematic changes. All conversations regarding the offense since Dallas downed the Wolves have centered on offensive execution.

Finch said the Wolves did a good job this season adding more structure to what they aimed to do offensively. He lamented their lack of shotmaking at times and said Minnesota had to find ways to play faster.

“We don’t have the physically fastest guys, but we’ve got to make an effort and commitment to get easier stuff in transition, running, stretching the floor,” Finch said. “The league plays so fast now, so when you aren’t fast and you’re struggling to get easy looks, that’s a good place to start and try to find them. We’ve got to be better there.”

That’s particularly where a team lacking in high-end offensive talent may look. And, to be fair, Minnesota’s roster does lean more toward the defensive side of the equation. Rudy Gobert does a lot for the offense with his screening, rolling and rebounding, but he’s not great with the ball in his hands. Jaden McDaniels’ shooting was sporadic this season. They represent 40% of the starting lineup.

Off the bench, Nickeil Alexander-Walker has shown flashes as a shooter and playmaker but proved in the playoffs that he’s still not a finished product on the offensive end.

Anthony Edwards is one of the most explosive scorers in the NBA. And while the 22-year-old grew as a decision-maker this season, Dallas challenged him in that area in the West Finals — and won.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks were able to spam pick-and-rolls for Doncic and Irving to best the NBA’s top defense. That system works well for Dallas, but Finch doesn’t believe a helio-centric offense is a good fit for the Wolves. Edwards doesn’t see the game at Doncic’s level.

“You have to have a player who is pretty special to be able to create that much offense for himself and everybody else. He has to have a complete skill set,” Finch said. “Some teams now, Boston’s a good example, they kind of just spread you out and try to beat you one-on-one, and that creates a lot of advantages. I’m not sure we have those type of players, either.”

The Wolves, frankly, don’t have enough perimeter playmakers for that to work. So Finch plans on the Wolves remaining “movement based.”

“We’re still going to be sharing the ball. We still have the bigs to incorporate,” Finch said. “There’s a lot of different things.”

One obvious area of growth Finch identified is in the two-man game between Edwards and Towns. Conley and Gobert have shown what a great two-man game can do for a team. Those two ran pick-and-rolls all season that often led to easy Wolves’ buckets.

But Towns and Edwards have yet to establish that type of synergy. Finch envisions the two potentially helping one another on offense in the same way Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray do in Denver.

“They can do it. There’s certain things that they do in combination with each other that works seemingly every time they try it. They just need to do it more,” Finch said. “I think that’s just a willingness to give themselves to the greater good a little bit. It may not be natural in how they play, but as these things happen — if I write it up or play-call it — it usually works. But they’ve got to be able to find it in the flow, which is probably the next step.”

That’s part of the problem for Minnesota’s offense. When things are going poorly, nothing seems to come naturally for the team’s top offensive players. There are no go-tos they can rely on to get a good shot.

Even in Game 4 in Dallas, it was Kyle Anderson directing Edwards and Towns to generate Minnesota’s best fourth-quarter looks. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing to have Anderson and Conley control traffic, but an offense is most decisive and efficient when the players with the ball in their hands are the ones seeing the game at a high level.

Doncic was a prime example of that.

Maybe Edwards can reach that level. He’s certainly flashed a willingness to be coached throughout his career. Minnesota spent a week of practice prepping Edwards for certain defensive looks in the playoffs, and he responded by roasting Phoenix in the first round. But Edwards also had distinct physical advantages against the Suns and Nuggets that weren’t as prevalent against a Dallas defense that had perimeter defenders and rim protectors.

Pair the Mavericks roster with their scheme aimed specifically at stopping him, and Edwards struggled to take control of the game. He nor Towns have been considered to date as players who see the game a step ahead of the action. Anderson said that’s something you’re either born with or develop early in your playing days.

“Mike’s a really high IQ player, he’s a point guard. My dad raised me to be a point guard, I’ve always watched high-IQ players. I grew up watching Jason Kidd, playing for the New Jersey Nets. Rajon Rondo, just high-IQ guys that can affect the game in many different ways, not just scoring,” Anderson said. “I think it’s just a point guard thing.”

If that’s true, then a team-based offensive approach makes sense for Minnesota, as Finch has identified.

Minnesota’s growth on that end may simply be players better understanding and committing to the philosophy. Conley said that process will start in training camp.

“Like watching film and what style of pace we want to play, the energy that we put in defensively we have to put that same energy in offensively, pass and cut, making extra plays, just being on time with stuff, and it has to become habits for us,” Conley said. “Those small things on offense can be a big thing when it comes down to it. Execution in big moments. I think that’ll be something we’ll continue to look at, and look at going through the offseason.”

Conley did say there is room for Minnesota to experiment, as well, to diversify its attack. He noted Minnesota could maybe even roll out a small-ball lineup, or different approaches to operate against different teams. That type of versatility is advantageous specifically in the postseason, even for elite offenses. Folks in Denver have lamented the Nuggets’ over-reliance on the Jokic-Murray two-man game since Minnesota bounced Denver.

But Conley said a lot of the team’s offensive improvement will come from areas as simple as passing the ball and playing as a group.

“Not just one or two guys or three guys out there,” Conley said. “Where all five, being able to have multiple facets to their game as far as driving, kicking, pushing the ball, making good decisions when you have the ball.”

When executed properly, that leads to fewer turnovers and better shot attempts which obviously generate more points over the course of 100 possessions. Minnesota established some of that when Towns was out of the lineup late in the season. From March 11 to April 11, Minnesota sported the NBA’s eighth-best offense. But the Wolves never established that as their true identity. That requires more sustained success. That will be the goal for next season.

Wolves basketball boss Tim Connelly called Finch the best offensive coach in the NBA. Anderson backed that up with the following sentiment:

“Finch is a genius offensively, so, I think you don’t expect to see him, his offenses in the middle or lower part of the ranks anymore,” Anderson said. “Like, he’ll get it together. Trust me.”

But that will require buy-in and execution from the team’s most-skilled offensive players.

“I think it’s less about, ‘Score, score, score,’ ” Finch said of Edwards and Towns’ mindsets, “and more about, ‘I want to play in this style. This is the manner that I’m comfortable playing.’ ”

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Literary pick for week of June 2

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More Than a Single Story began in 2016 when Carolyn Holbrook used a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grant to launch a series of three discussions with women writers of the African diaspora aimed at showing there are different cultures represented by women who could not be simply defined as “Black” writers. Holbrook had worked at the Loft Literary Center, founded SASE: The Write Place to help writers of color, and taught at Hamline University. But she wasn’t sure how More Than a Single Story would go over. She needn’t have worried. So many people attended the first program they filled the Loft’s auditorium and extra chairs had to be found.

Suleiman Adan (Courtesy of More than a Single Story)

Since then MTSS has gained a five-person staff, with Holbrook as executive director, and expanded to include a variety of free panel discussions/public conversations where writers of color discuss issues of importance to them in their own voices and words. In 2021 the organization published “We Are Meant to Rise: Voices for Justice from Minneapolis to the World,” edited by Holbrook and poet David Mura (University of Minnesota Press). The 34 essays in the book, focusing on race and police violence after George Floyd’s murder, are by Twin Cities-based BiPOC writers, most of whom participated in MTSS programs.

The theme for this Father’s Day month is Songs for Our Fathers, panel discussions celebrating fatherhood. The next program is at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at Highland Park library, 1974 Ford Pkwy., St. Paul, with the theme of The Invisible Load: The Unsung Realities of Modern Fatherhood with moderator Suleiman Adan, writer, poet, and writing teacher whose work is in “We are Meant to Rise.” He is a systems builder and community advocate with more than a decade of experience empowering teams and building capacity through grassroots training and organizing efforts. An advocate of youth education, he has operated a free tutoring company focused on increasing literacy and proficiency in BIPOC youth. Panelists will be Erik Anderson, Jonathan Brown, Linus Chan, Chris Martin and Michael Torres. Although they come from different backgrounds, they are united in navigating the complexities of fatherhood in today’s world.

The final program, For the Love of Our Grandfathers, will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at the Highland Park library, co-moderated by Adan and Ben Weaver, father, caregiver, songwriter, poet and hide tanner who travels by bicycle. They will be joined by grandfathers Russel Balenger, David Mura and Jim Rock discussing how historical practices and events affected them as fathers, what it is like to see their own children as parents, how they connect with their grandchildren and advice they have for today’s young fathers. (RSVP to wendyw@thefriends.org.)

Ben Weaver (Courtesy of Nicollazzi)

“I love the way things happen sometimes,” Holbrook wrote to the Pioneer Press. “Last year Ben Weaver, a young single father, asked me if More Than a Single Story would consider doing something around single dads. A couple weeks later, Suleiman Adan, a young married father, asked if we’d consider doing something with married dads. Then I decided to include something with grandfathers. So we ended up with a series of three panels (one has already been held) we’re doing in partnership with The Friends (of the St. Paul Public Library). I’m so excited about this.”

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Loons do little things to produce a 3-1 over last-place Kansas City

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Minnesota United’s two hottest players — Tani Oluwaseyi and Robin Lod — produced goals Saturday, but it was the little preceding plays before that were the differences in a 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City at Allianz Field.

Sang Bin Jeong’s pressing action caused a Kansas City turnover before Oluwaseyi’s goal in the first half, and Devin Padelford’s long throw-in preceded Oluwaseyi’s assist on Lod’s goal in the second half.

Padelford’s toss was noticed. Dayne St. Clair ran from his goal to praise the left wingback. Head coach Eric Ramsay also showed appreciation.

MNUFC (8-3-4, 28 points) got back in the win column after dropping points in its past two matches and moved into a tie for second place in Western Conference. They kept last-place Kansas City (2-9-5, 11 points) down. Sporting has now lost seven straight and is winless in 10.

Kervin Arriaga also did important little work, but he did so to set up his goal in the 83rd minute. His sprinting in an overlapping run put him in a great spot to blast a shot in the side netting.

Oluwaseyi’s seventh goal of the season padded his team lead. Bongi Hlongwane, who fed Oluwaseyu a nice cross, notched his first assist of the season.

The Loons produced three shots on goal in the first half. Kansas City didn’t manage one in the opening 45 minutes.

Johnny Russell got a goal back for Kansas City in the 86th minute.

Briefly

The U.S. women’s national team will play South Korea in a friendly match at Allianz Field on Tuesday night. The USWNT beat South Korea 4-0 on Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado. New head coach Emma Hayes won her debut match. Mallory Swanson and Tierna Davidson each scored two goals. … Caden Clark was scratched from the starting XI less than an hour before kickoff due to a toe injury. He was slated to make another appearance as a right wingback. DJ Taylor, who stepped in for Clark, had to exit with a leg injury in the first half. Joseph Rosales came off the bench.  … MNUFC will have eight players head to national team duties next week, including Dayne St. Clair, Robin Lod, Teemu Pukki,  Joseph Rosales, Kervin Arriaga, Carlos Harvey, Alejandro Bran and Zarek Valentin. They will all miss next Saturday’s match versus FC Dallas. … Rosales was issued his fifth yellow card in the second half. He will be suspended for Saturday’s game vs. FC Dallas.

Gaza, mining top issues during second day of DFL convention in Duluth

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DULUTH, Minn. — Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party leaders and endorsed candidates largely voiced the same script at their state convention Saturday, promoting DFL legislative action in Minnesota, singing the praises of President Joe Biden and condemning former President Donald Trump.

However, a vocal minority of progressive delegates have taken issue with the DFL and Democrats in general over the party’s support of Israel in the war in Gaza.

“We want to know why we have any money for bombs when there’s Minnesotans going hungry, sleeping out on the streets and lacking adequate health care,” said Jerod Martinson, a DFL delegate.

Martinson was seen outside the DFL convention holding a sign that read “Guilty of Gendemocide,” — the word mixes genocide and Democrat. Martinson and other protesters believe Democrats are aiding in the deaths of Palestinians.

“The war in Gaza is just the latest and one of the worst examples of our over-militarism and it’s just destroying us,” he said, adding that he is an Army veteran who served in Iraq during the war’s early years.

Protest over Gaza

Several dozen protesters joined party delegates outside of the Duluth Convention Center on Saturday.

They called for a cease-fire and the U.S. divestment from Israel due to the country’s failure to adhere to international norms in warfare.

One of the resolutions, which would make it party policy to call the denial of Israel’s right to exist as a country antisemitic, was met with resistance from seven Jewish delegates.

The delegates, in a statement, said the resolution ignores Jewish disagreement with Zionism, which calls to sustain a “Jewish state” within the historical lands of Palestine.

“On a personal note, as Jewish dissenters of Zionism we would find it quite distressing to have our own political party declare us to be anti-Semitic,” the delegates wrote.

Other resolutions Saturday related to Israel and Palestine included calls for a cease-fire and humanitarian aid, making civilian safety a priority, releasing political prisoners and funding U.N. efforts to aid Palestinian refugees.

Divide may hurt Democrats

This divide could prove challenging for Biden and Democrats as progressive members take on the party establishment.

A national movement to vote uncommitted during Democratic state primaries for president had a decently strong showing in Minnesota with about 19% of voters choosing “uncommitted.” The latest polls show both Trump and Biden in a dead heat.

“We need to be more assertive on our viewpoints on Gaza and what is happening there,” said DFL delegate Wayne Pulford, citing the destruction of Palestinian hospitals and schools and the number of lives lost.

“I think we just need to keep up pressure on the Democratic Party to push back on what’s happening,” Pulford said. “(Israel) can fight a just war. They’re just not doing it right now.”

Delegates were slated to debate 113 resolutions and their amendments on Saturday but as of 8 p.m., they had yet to start debate on most of them. Delegates will continue the debates into Saturday night or may pick up the issues on Sunday, the last day of the convention.

Campaign continues

Also Saturday, DFL leaders and politicians continued to boast about the party’s successes in Minnesota while condemning the MAGA movement.

House Speaker Melissa Hortman (Courtesty photo)

Minnesota Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman touted the party’s legislative victories. The DFL currently has a trifecta in state government, controlling the governor’s office and both legislative chambers. The party has passed several large bills, including paid family leave and a program to provide free food to schoolchildren.

Other legislative wins for the party include measures on abortion rights, guns control, increased education funding and health care reform.

“We did not come to play,” Hortman said Saturday.

Trump’s recent conviction has also given Democrats a talking point for this election season. The former president was recently convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to a woman before the 2016 election.

Most of the speakers Saturday morning, which included Gov. Tim Walz, either called Trump a felon or brought up his legal woes. Walz, serving as a hypeman for the party, told delegates that he was proud to be part of a party with diverse beliefs.

Gov. Tim Walz. (Ben Hovland / MPR News)

Jen Schultz, the DFL-endorsed candidate for Congressional District 8 covering northeastern Minnesota, also targeted her opponent, Republican Rep. Pete Stauber, on Saturday.

Schultz, who served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2015 to 2022, drew contrasts between her and Stauber.

“Stauber is part of the extremists, chaos caucus,“ she said.

Mining issues

As expected, the issue of copper-sulfide mining drew both advocates for the practice and those who oppose it, which often pitted DFL union members and the party’s environmental wing at odds.

The debate revolved around the “Prove it First” legislation, which has failed to be heard in the state’s Legislature for about a decade. The bill would require mining companies to prove their mining plans are safe and in line with state and federal environmental protections.

“It pains me to see the issue of mining in Minnesota continue to divide the party,” delegate Jeremy Johnson said to convention goers, adding mining brings thousands of jobs to Minnesota.

Several of those opposed to the legislation told their fellow delegates that mining has already proven to be safe and the law would outsource jobs to foreign countries that rely on child labor.

The issue could split off votes from the DFL, especially with the St. Louis County GOP attempting to make inroads with union members in the Iron Range. Historically, union members have tended to vote for Democrats, though northeastern Minnesota voting trends show a change of wind in decades-old party loyalties.

“Now is a time for the DFL to take common-sense action to protect our clean water from foreign mining conglomerates that threaten to poison our clean water with copper-nickel sulfide mines,” delegate Chris Knopf said.

Knopf is also the executive director of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, an environmental group that seeks stronger protections for Minnesota’s ecosystem.

Delegate Jean Baldwin, a union journeyman, had some of the harshest words Saturday for “Prove It First” supporters.

“If you vote for ‘Prove It First,’ you’re selfish,” she said. “You’re selfish because your vote means all mining that Minnesota needs and will do with the highest level of safe mining practices with skilled labor will be done in another country using child labor with little to no safe mining practices.”

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