Jamal Crawford all but guaranteed the Timberwolves will get a top-four seed in the Western Conference next season when he joined the One Hunnit Podcast in-studio for a full hour.
Catch the full video below, along with a transcript of his answers to some of our Timberwolves questions. Click the link above to get the podcast on iTunes, or listen back to it right here in your browser.
Where do the Wolves finish in the Western Conference?
“This is called One Hunnit, right? So we have to be as honest as possible. We gotta figure out everything: playing together, how people play off each other. I have no doubt we’ll be a top-four seed, it’s just about how the chemistry goes. Sometimes that’s underrated. So guys have to feel each other out and everything, but I have no doubts about it with the character guys we have we’ll figure it out.”
Did you sign with the Wolves because winning a title is realistic here now?
“I’m also looking at enjoying the process of chasing. I didn’t want to go to a team that was already put together, like a team that’s already won a championship. Not saying, what’s the thrill in that, but it’s like they’ve already been there so I would just be another notch in their belt. Like, ‘OK, we got him, too, and we won it again.’ For me, I wasn’t at that point. I was at a point where I want to build up to this. I want to be with guys that have never been there before, never been in the playoffs before so we can all enjoy some of these processes for the first time, together. To me, that means more. It’s not always about the end goal, it’s about the journey.”
How do teams stop a lineup of Teague, Butler, Wiggins, Crawford and KAT?
“That’s scary,” he answered. “We can play so many styles, even with Belly (Nemanja Bjelica) and the way he can shoot it. He’s nice. And Gorgui (Dieng) – just so many options – Tyus (Jones) can play. We got some really good players, we really do. It’s just about everybody needing to sacrifice a little bit for the betterment of our team, and that’s what it’s about at this point.”
Kevin Durant says Butler will have to sacrifice scoring to make the Wolves’ lineup work.
“That’s his take and you respect where Kevin’s vantage point is. For everybody, like I said, we’re all going to have to sacrifice – that may be minutes, scoring, anything. But if you’re a part of a team and you really, really, really want to win, then you sacrifice. I’m sure we have character guys who will do that.
“It might be saying, ‘you know what KAT, we’re coming in to you but they’re double teaming tonight, so you gotta make plays.’ Whatever it might be that night, let’s just figure it out how to win that night, whoever’s night it is. As long as the T-Wolves win it doesn’t matter.”
