Is the NBA play-in tournament considered to be the playoffs or not? That's a question I've heard thrown around since we've known the Minnesota Timberwolves were going to be participating in it, as they'll be hosting the Los Angeles Clippers.
What can't be argued is that the two year old format, which was first introduced in 2021, is popular with fans, and Wolves fans seem to have embraced it. And frankly, why wouldn't they? At the beginning of the season, if you told Minnesota Timberwolves fans they would be hosting a prime time game to "officially" make the playoffs, I think without hesitation they would take it. After all, this is a franchise that has only seen the postseason once in the prior 17 seasons, where they were bounced by the Houston Rockets in 2017-2018.
It's another chance for a former local star to play in front of familiar faces, as former Gophers star Amir Coffey will be returning as a member of the Clippers, and his dad and also former Gophers star Richard Coffey, joined The Huddle with Mike Max and Peter Najarian Sunday morning says it's been quite the ride this season.
Richard Coffey played at the University of Minnesota from 1986 to 1990 before a brief career in the NBA. He played professionally in Europe for a few years and now has a career as a motivational speaker.
"I live and die with every shot,” Coffey says. “It's just fun because when you're close to the players, your son, you're on the phone with him when things aren't going well. It's a roller coaster, there's a lot of ups and downs. When you see things come together you want to see, you're really excited and happy for him."
Coffey also realizes, while he has connections with the Timberwolves, he will definitely cheer for the Clippers.
We hear about "peaking at the right time", having momentum, and right now the Clippers seem to have a little more than the Wolves do.
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Since Paul George returned March 29 against the Utah Jazz, they have won five in a row and six of their past seven. Meanwhile, the Wolves are 4-6 in their last 10 games, but how much can you really read into it? Coffey says he’s looking past the numbers.
"They're playing some of the best basketball in the NBA,” says the former Gopher star. “They've found their strength and they're using it."
The Clippers have had the Timberwolves number so far this season, winning three out of four, and Paul George was the leading scorer for Los Angeles in each of those three games (averaging just over 25 ppg.) So stop PG13, you have a chance, and something says his former teammate Patrick Beverley is going to be up for the challenge. Fun fact, Patrick Beverley has yet to miss the playoffs in his NBA career.
Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. at Target Center. That game airs on 102.9 The Wolf and on WCCO-2 on the Audacy app, with pregame at 8:00 p.m. You can hear the Twins and the Dodgers, weather permitting, on 830 WCCO and also on the Audacy app (if the game is postponed, the Timberwolves will be on both stations).
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