Canis Pulsus - Vol. 21 Results - Wolves Predictions

Oct 4, 2022 - 1:30 PM

They’re here. The Wolves are back. In our 21st edition of Canis Pulsus, we had a record 128 voters (Both CH members and non-CH members) tap in to submit their season predictions. Without further ado...

What are we expecting to see in the 2022-2023 NBA season?

(Note: Results were tallied prior to start of the preseason)

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What record to you think the Timberwolves will finish the season with?

52-30 wins

Last season: 44-38

Many Vegas outlets set Minnesota’s line for regular season wins at 48.5. That means 119 of the 126 voters (94%) mashed the over. That’s right, baby. The most popular vote of 52 wins would mark the first 50-win season since the 2003-2004 WCF season. But as usual, we all already know - 82-0 forever!

Full voting results:

Where will the Wolves finish in the regular season?

4th Seed (81%)

A comfortable 80% of voters felt that the Wolves would avoid the play-in tournament altogether by landing as a top six seed in the Western Conference. That would be quite an amazing feat, though the goals have been set respectably higher this year.

Full voting results:

The MVP of the Timberwolves will be...

Karl-Anthony Towns (57%)

Last season: Karl-Anthony Towns - 65%

Though Anthony Edwards is clearly the up-and-coming Timberwolves superstar, the majority of you still believe that the key to this team is three-point champion, Karl-Anthony Towns. It’s hard to argue after the performance he had in the 2022 playoffs, averaging 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.7 stocks per game on .488/.455/.860 splits.

Full voting results:

The best defender on the Timberwolves will be...

Rudy Gobert (94%)

Last season: Patrick Beverley- 39%

No surprises here. The Stifle Tower garnered 120 of 128 votes here, leaving five for Jaden McDaniels and an unexpected three for Anthony Edwards. Ant has already been dropping quotes in training camp that suggest there may be some credence to his defensive effort this year:

Full voting results:

The best bench player for the Timberwolves will be...

Kyle Anderson (61%)

Last season: Patrick Beverley- 39%

The Canis Hoopus favorite is finally going to don a Timberwolves jersey! He has long been one of the more effective role players off the bench in his eight years in the league. He will be an important connector piece for Minnesota with his ball handling, passing, and defensive chops.

Full voting results:

The best locker room guy on the Timberwolves will be...

Taurean Prince (44%)

Last season: Patrick Beverley - 61%

Losing Patrick Beverley was tough this summer. Most notably, the impact he had off the court will be impossible to fully replace. That said, it was just a summer ago that we lamented losing Ricky Rubio’s presence in the locker room, but expected much from PatBev. The guy who actually replaced Ricky, Taurean Prince, has been cited multiple times last season as someone who was a leader of the team. It’s also comforting to see so many other players pop up on this list as well.

Full voting results:

The player on the Timberwolves who will impress the most is...

Anthony Edwards (62%)

Last season: Anthony Edwards - 56%

If Ant continues on his current developmental path, than the league will quickly need to make way for this superstar. Local and national pundits all expect big things this year from Edwards. The depth of answers is also great to see, as there are a number of players who could be primed for a breakout season.

Full voting results:

Now that season is about to begin, my feelings on the direction of the Timberwolves are...

Very optimistic (83%)

Last season: Very optimistic (47%)

The optimism from a year ago to now has nearly doubled. Is it possible that this is the most optimistic Canis Hoopus and Wolves fans have been since Jimmy KG was in a Wolves uniform?

Full voting results:

My hottest Timberwolves season take/prediction is...

There were a lot of lukewarm takes here. Plenty of discussion about end of season awards, All-Star bids, playoff (and championship) predictions, and D’Angelo Russell talk, but I highlighted my three favorites below:

3) Jaden is out scoring KAT by the end of the season
2) Josh Minott will be a regular in the rotation after a brief stay in Iowa
1) I’ll bore my wife even more then last year with all my Timberwolves talk I toss at her!

Link to full results

The Most Valuable Player will be...

Giannis Antetokounmpo (32%)

Last season: Giannis Antetokoumpo & Kevin Durant - 27% each

With Durant getting dismantled in the postseason and a very wishy washy summer off the court, it looks like the hype has completed cooled on him. He went from being tied as the CH favorite for MVP last season, to not garnering a single vote this time around. Will Giannis become the ninth player to win MVP three times in their career? Or will Shabazz Muhammad stop that dream?

Full voting results:

The Defensive Player of the Year will be...

Rudy Gobert (75%)

Last season: Giannis Antetokoumpo - 36%

If Rudy Gobert wins this award, he will be the very first player in Timberwolves history to do so. As is usually the case, this award is often times a result of team success, so it may be up to the other 14-players on the Wolves roster to do their part in order to help the Frenchman win his fourth DPOY award. If so, he would join Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace as the only players to have ever earned this honor four times.

Full voting results:

The Rookie of the Year will be...

Paolo Banchero (61%)

Last season: Jalen Green - 40%

Jalen Green came up short last year, as Evan Mobley and the eventual winner, Scottie Barnes, stole the spotlight with their spectacular play on both ends of the court. Perhaps I was wrong in assuming that this award only takes into account “POINTZ.” That said, Paolo Banchero seems to have everything set up for him to put up box score numbers this season. Also, shoutout to the three wise voters who went with Walker Kessler because of course.

Full voting results:

The Sixth Man of the Year will be...

Jaylen Nowell (20%)

Last season: Malik Beasley - 27%

The annual tradition of voting in Wolves players as winners of this award continues (Jarrett Culver, Malik Beasley). This vote was interesting to dissect, as Kyle Anderson was voted “Most important bench player” as he nearly doubled Nowell’s vote. Yet somehow, Jaylen won the vote here. Perhaps it’s the gunner mentality that voters feel could propel him to the Jamal Crawford award. No Timberwolves player has ever won this award either.

Full voting results:

The Most Improved Player of the Year will be...

Anthony Edwards (51%)

Last season: Anthony Edwards - 34%

Is it more homer-ism that we see here? Or is it the meteoric ascension of an unstoppable basketball force that we’re feeling? Three different Wolves players popped up on this list, but most eyes will be on Ant.

Full voting results:

The Coach of the Year will be...

Chris Finch (78%)

Last season: Chris Finch - 70%

Cheep, cheep! Keep flying!

Full voting results:

The 2022-2023 Eastern Conference winners will be...

Milwaukee Bucks (51%)

Last season: Brooklyn Nets - 51%

The Nets sure did fizzle out last year. Though the Celtics had an impressive run to the NBA finals, it felt as though the winner of their game 7 semi-finals match against the Milwaukee Bucks was going to determine who advanced out of the East. Without their second best player, Khris Middleton, for games three through seven, it left a lot of what-ifs unanswered for the Bucks.

Full voting results:

The 2022-2023 Western Conference winners will be...

Los Angeles Clippers (31%)

Last season: Los Angeles Lakers & Utah Jazz- 28% each

How quickly the tides change. The Lakers and Jazz were tied as the favorites to win the West a year ago, and now neither team received a single vote. The return of a healthy Kawhi Leonard certainly had an impact on the voters this time around. Will the Clippers finally have a fully healthy season of Kawhi & Paul George together?

Full voting results:

The 2022-2023 NBA Champions winners will be...

Milwaukee Bucks or Minnesota Timberwolves (25% each)

Last season: Brooklyn Nets - 38%

Once again, voters buck the notion that math is important. While the Clippers beat the Wolves 38 votes to 29 votes to win the West, the Wolves outvoted the Clippers 29 to 20 to win the NBA finals. Take that, logic!

Full voting results:

The NBA’s next team turmoil will be...

Brooklyn Nets (29%)

Last season: Philadelphia 76ers- 50%

The 76ers survived a wild season despite falling short to General Soreness in the ECSF. That has earned them an exit from this list. Instead, the Brooklyn Nets have fallen from the top all the way to the bottom. Is Ben Simmons actually ready to play basketball? Will Kevin Durant really play nice with management all season? Will Kyrie stop spouting misinformation? Unlikely.

Full voting results:

The NBA’s next team turnaround will be...

Minnesota Timberwolves or New Orleans Pelicans (20% each)

Last season: Minnesota Timberwolves - 68%

I’m not sure if the Timberwolves being a “turnaround” team is a good thing, considering they had a surprisingly successful 2021-2022 season. That said, I’m sure voters were alluding to the Wolves continuing to be a “turn around team” in a more broad sense. As quoted by new additions Kyle Anderson and Austin Rivers, Minnesota is now turning into a franchise that players want to play for. Imagine that.

Full voting results:

My hottest NBA season take/prediction is...

Lots of heaters in this one. There were quite a few LeBron/Lakers takes, a handful of General Soreness implosions, Pelicans hype, but these were my favorites:

3) Ricky Rubio wins Finals MVP
2) Kings 6th seed
1) One of the Inside the NBA guys will leave the show

Link to full results

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We got the receipts now. As the season progresses, we’ll certainly give credit to those of you who accurately predicted how the season will unfold. Hoopus Points are on the line. Thank you to all who participated and we’ll see you soon!