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Can the Utah Jazz Win the Northwest Division?

By Jared Woodcox

Mar 24, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) is congratulated by center Enes Kanter (11) after a play against the Utah Jazz during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) is congratulated by center Enes Kanter (11) after a play against the Utah Jazz during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 1, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) battles for the ball with Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) and guard Raul Neto (25) in the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Utah Jazz defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-85. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) battles for the ball with Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) and guard Raul Neto (25) in the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Utah Jazz defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-85. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves are an up-and-comer that, despite finishing with a worse record than the Nuggets last season, look poised and ready for a major breakout this year.

Minnesota boasts the league’s last two Rookie of the Year Award winners on their squad, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, proving just how good the young talent on this team is. Both players look poised for long and successful NBA careers and will be instrumental in the T-Wolves’ success this season.

Despite losing 53 games last season, the Timberwolves were quite consistently competitive and were even one of the few teams to knock off the Golden State Warriors in the regular season.

Factor in the certain improvement of their young core, a handful of experienced veterans and perhaps most importantly, new head coach Tom Thibodeau, and this team could be quite a bit more dangerous this season.

Thibodeau is one of the league’s finest coaches and was an excellent pick-up for the young Wolves. If he can bring his reputed defense to an already electrifying and athletic offense, Minnesota may be able to turn in several more performances such as the one that pushed them to a victory over Golden State last season.

However, while Minnesota will more than likely be improved next season, they still shouldn’t be at the level of the Jazz or the other two remaining teams in the division. Utah’s core may be young, but it’s still more experienced than Minnesota’s and the Jazz also boast a much deeper squad with more proven veterans.

Barring any unforeseen surprises, it seems nearly impossible that the Timberwolves will be the team to take the division title and almost as unlikely that they will finish ahead of the Jazz in the standings.

Next: Oklahoma City Thunder

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