In-depth analysis of how the Wolves can become the Rockets No. 6 seed champion with 3 points

For the rest of the regular season, the Timberwolves achieved a record of 17 wins and 4 losses, climbed out of the play-off quagmire and became the 6th seed team. They beat the Los Angeles Lakers and Warriors in five games — eliminating LeBron James, Luca Doncic, Jimmy Butler III and injured Stephen Curry — back to the Western Conference Finals. They even resolved long-standing ball rights disputes.

Although the Timberwolves lost to the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, they have proven themselves not the average sixth-seeded team. Instead, they have a great chance to be the third sixth-seeded team in NBA history to enter the Finals, joining the 1995 championship-winning Houston Rockets and the 1981 Rockets who entered the Finals (no wins)

Before Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals (8:30 a.m., May 23), let's see how the Timberwolves turned the season, which stars came forward, and how the No. 1 Thunder took everything away. The Timberwolves' offense began to improve in March, largely because of success at the basket. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Timberwolves had the least mid-range shots in the league in their 21-game surge, as they attacked the rim more in a coordinated manner.

This method has continued into the playoffs, with Minnesota ranked second in the basket shooting percentage (second only to the Detroit Pistons), and ranked last in the middle distance frequency. According to GeniusIQ, the Timberwolves scored the highest per 100 possessions in the first two rounds of the playoffs, indicating their aggressiveness in the paint. Once they reach the rim, their finishing ability also improves. According to GeniusIQ, the Timberwolves ranked 21st in dunks and layups before March, but they have since risen to sixth place.

Their luck should be back to normal soon, which means there will be more triplets. But in the first game against the Thunder, the three players in the backcourt combined only had 6-for-26 shots, and the Thunder were content to block the paint, and as Edwards said, they hoped that Minnesota's cold shooter would stay that way.

To get enough points to beat the Thunder and make it to the first final in team history, they must do three points well

Randall must continue to play the best high-stakes basketball of his career.

role players must start shooting like they did in the regular season.

Edwards must fulfill his role as head coach in this team.

However, the Thunder are a tough opponent for him—not just because they have Lugentz Dort, Carson Wallace, Jaren Williams and Alex Caruso, who have multiple world-class defensive players who can track his every move well.

Edwards has taken an important step outside the arc this season, with a total of 320 3-pointers shooting 39.5%, up from 35.3% before this year. But strangely, it's hard to convert his 2-point attempt. According to GeniusIQ, combined with regular season and playoff data, Edwards hits in the 27th percentile or worse in the restricted, key and midfielders.

Anthony Edwards' playoff shooting percentage:

The Thunder already have the best inside defense in the league:

They allow the opponent's lowest outside goal rate on the basket this season and the least score on rebounds. If Edwards can't crack the shell, he won't be able to score enough points to threaten them.

Edwards expressed optimism after the first game, although he scored only 18 points on 5 of 13 shots, while his team lost with 26 points in the game. “I definitely want to shoot more,” he said. "I only fired 13 shots. ... I have to watch the replay and take it apart. We'll find a way." The Timberwolves had a chance to do it; it wasn't accident that they had the second best offense in the NBA for such a long time. But the Thunder have one of the best defenses in NBA history, and no one has figured out how to beat it yet.