Minnesota Timberwolves: What if … Andrew Wiggins missed those free throws?

Andrew Wiggins made a pair of key free throws in 2018, which put the Minnesota Timberwolves lead out of reach for the Denver Nuggets. What if he missed?

The year is 2018. The Minnesota Timberwolves have had a rocky season, to say the least, but on the final day of the regular season, they’re looking across the court at a Denver Nuggets team. Two conference rivals. Whoever wins this game goes to make the playoffs, the loser starts their offseason.

Now, with just over 14 seconds left in the first overtime, Andrew Wiggins is sent to the free throw line as the Timberwolves struggle to hold on to a 108-106 lead over Denver. Wiggins hits both free throws, the crowd erupts and Minnesota makes it into the postseason for the first time in 14 years.

But what if he hadn’t made those shots? What if, instead of solidifying a Timberwolves victory, Andrew Wiggins was the one of the sole factors in sending them home, for yet another time, without a playoff appearance?

Would things look different? Can two shots really affect the course of someone’s career that much? The answer … well … maybe.