It didn’t feel like a coincidence that when Naz Reid’s season-ending wrist injury occurred, much of the oxygen and good vibes being puffed into the Minnesota Timberwolves in late March were deflated. Perhaps even more fittingly, he got injured trying to absolutely destroy a defender at the rim.
The Wolves had just bookmarked a four-game winning streak against playoff teams, capping it off with back-to-back clutch wins over Golden State and Sacramento on the road. Reid had been a key cog in that stretch, microwaving instant offense for the Wolves during a stretch where the return of Karl-Anthony Towns hadn’t completely settled into the team’s fabric.