Michael Rand

Minneapolis

Digital Sports Senior Writer at The Minnesota Star Tribune

Michael Rand: Digital Senior Writer @StarTribune. Daily Delivery podcast host. Side project: https://t.co/JfbQbS6HmZ

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Articles

La Velle E. Neal III on Wolves vs. Lakers and Twins vs. themselves

1 week ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Wild, who can't seem to do anything the easy way. But a goal with 22 seconds left in their final regular-season game clinched a playoff spot. Can they compete with Vegas, a team against which they went 0-3 during the regular season, in the playoffs? Plus a look at schedules reveals it is going to be bonkers around here next week between the Wild, Wolves and NFL Draft. 11:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand for their weekly debate segment.
Trying my best for some optimism with these Twins

1 week ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

It's mid-April and the vibes with the Twins, as the kids might say, are not immaculate. A lot of fans came into the season grumpy and looking for reasons to be pessimistic about a franchise that skidded to a 12-27 finish in 2024, did very little to upgrade its roster in the offseason and found a potential sale of the franchise stuck in neutral at best. In other words, the Twins desperately needed a fast start. Instead, they have obliged the haters and brought worst fears to life through 17 games.
Marcus Fuller on Niko Medved's work in the transfer portal

1 week ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Twins, who lost again and now sit at 5-12. Three things stand out: Their pitchers have committed six errors this season, twice as many as any other staff in the majors; the smallest announced crowd in non-Covid Target Field history watched Monday's game; and the Twins are tied for their worst start in franchise history. Plus the Lynx made significant moves during Monday's WNBA Draft and Paige Bueckers went No. 1 overall to Dallas, as expected.
Did the Wolves cost themselves a better seed with missed chances?

1 week ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

A few hours after the Wolves clinched a playoff spot for the fourth straight season and avoided the play-in tournament by winning 17 of their final 21 regular-season games, this message from a Daily Delivery podcast listener arrived via email:"Podcast idea would be to rank the Wolves worst losses of the year that could've swung their seeding up to 2 or 3 if those games had gone other way. The one game I went to was the Wizards with my 8 year old for his birthday to see Ant ...
Wolves matchup, Wild's chances, Twins woes and Rory's wild ride

1 week ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

Chip Scoggins pinch hits for Patrick Reusse on Monday's episode with host Michael Rand. They start with the Wolves' win over Utah on Sunday, which set up a playoff matchup against the Lakers. Game 1 of the series is Saturday, with the Wolves needing to find a way to stop Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Can they stay composed enough to use their depth to their advantage? Plus the Wild had a huge win in Vancouver on Saturday, leaving them on the verge of clinching a playoff berth.
After enough slander, it's time to appreciate Mike Conley again

1 week ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

A statistical analysis of what happens to the Timberwolves when they start to struggle will reveal a propensity to turn the ball over combined with a flurry of missed shots, many of them taken too early in the shot clock as players take turns trying to be heroes. The eye test boils it down to this: The things that can look so easy for the Wolves suddenly look hard, and often this is self-inflicted.
Faith in Wolves restored; Vikings draft, QB situation still in flux

1 week ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

By Michael Rand Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Timberwolves' big 141-125 win over Memphis on Thursday, which included a huge third quarter and a better finish than Tuesday's meltdown against Milwaukee. Mike Conley was the steadying force as the Wolves assured themselves of no worse than the No. 6 seed (and likely better) if they win their last two games. The Twins, on the other hand, dropped to 4-9. That's the same pace as their 12-27 collapse at the end of last year.
Overreacting (or not) to the Wild, Wolves and transfer portal

2 weeks ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

I'm constantly reminding myself (and friends, Minnesota fans, readers and/or podcast listeners) that jumping to big conclusions based on limited results can be dangerous, particularly in leagues that play a lot of games. It's one thing to make bold proclamations about an NFL or college football game. It's another to be too assured about one of 82 in the NBA or NHL and especially one of 162 in Major League Baseball.
The dazzling return of Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek

2 weeks ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Wild, who really couldn't have asked for much more on Wednesday. Injured stars Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek returned and combined for six goals. The Wild needed everyone one of them, including Kaprizov's overtime winner, in a bonkers 8-7 victory. They gained ground in the playoffs and are close to securing a berth. Meanwhile the Twins had a night of similarly good news in a 4-0 win. 9:00: La Velle E. Neal III on the Twins, Wolves and Wild.
A forgettable 30 minutes of Minnesota sports

2 weeks ago | startribune.com | Michael Rand

The exact time when the meltdown began Tuesday is less important than how it happened, but generally speaking it was around 9 p.m. when both the Timberwolves and Twins turned into the worst versions of themselves. The Wolves led 95-71 against the Bucks early in the fourth quarter before Milwaukee started chipping and eventually hammering away at the deficit using a basic zone defense.