STEPHEN A. Smith has been stunned by the performance of the Minnesota Timberwolves lately.
In two games in the Conference Semifinals, the Timberwolves put on a clinic against the defending NBA Championship winner Denver Nuggets.
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Having won Saturday’s series opener 106-99, Minnesota came back on Monday to demolish the defending champions 106-80.
And to say First Take host Smith was impressed would be an understatement.
“They put the brothers under lock and key,” he said Tuesday.
“That’s what I saw last night. Denver couldn’t do anything.”
Smith even stated that he hadn’t seen a defense play this well in almost 35 years.
He later boldly stated that he believed the Nuggets were “on the verge of being swept,” admitting, “I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be able to say that.”
If that wasn’t enough, he also admitted that he now believes “the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to win the World Championship.”
Smith highlighted the performance of Anthony Edwards, who has recently drawn an increasing number of comparisons to NBA icon Michael Jordan.
“I’m not saying he’s Michael Jordan,” Smith explained, later adding, “But when you saw Jordan and Kobe [Bryant]That’s what you’re seeing now, and that killer instinct.”
In the Playoffs so far, the 22-year-old two-time All-Star has averaged 32.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.
He also highlighted the performances of Karl-Anthony Towns, Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Mike Conley Jr.
Looking ahead, Smith reinforced his claim that Minnesota should lose the title by focusing on its potential competitors.
“As good as Boston is defensively, it will require all the greatness of the Boston Celtics,” he explained.
As for the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder, Smith said simply, “Good luck.”
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NBA fans were quick to weigh in on Smith’s opinion, taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts.
“Inject this into my veins!!” commented one viewer.
“As a Wolves fan I’m hoping people realize how good this team can be,” said a second.
“We separated ourselves from Boston in the regular season and should have beaten them at home.
First look at the numbers
First Take has grown from strength to strength under the guidance of Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim over the past year.
ESPN’s weekday debate show averaged 496,000 viewers in 2023 — making it the most-watched year in the show’s history.
The December average of 611,000 represented a 24% annual increase compared to 2022.
The show has also recorded more than 250 million views on YouTube.
First Take was helped by the addition of Shannon Sharpe alongside Smith and Qerim after he left Fox Sports’ Undisputed.
“Plus, we almost beat them at home without [Rudy] Goberto. Welcome to the real world @stephenasmith.”
“Hard to disagree with @stephenasmitH As for the Timberwolves, I can’t imagine anyone beating them if they play at least 75% of the level they played last night,” added a third.
While another warned: “This series is far from over. Denver plays Minnesota well.”
The Timberwolves and Nuggets will return to action on Friday at Target Center, with a possible series-deciding Game 4 on Sunday.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
