Minnesota Timberwolves
Current Record: 25-36
Standings: 5th in Division, 11th in Conference
In a recent piece that I wrote about which team Utah Jazz fans should cheer for to earn the eighth seed in the West, I all but counted the Timberwolves out of contention for the spot. However, they’ve responded by winning four of their last five and are looking very much alive in that hunt for the eighth seed.
They went 5-7 in the month of February, which was a significant letdown from their 8-7 record in January, however it’s still been good enough to keep them afloat. Of course, they recently dominated the Utah Jazz to start out the month of March on a high note, so if that kind of play can keep up they’ll have a great chance to surge even more.
The game has ended.#MINatUTA pic.twitter.com/uRXe6DxYiz
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 2, 2017
The biggest story for Minnesota last month was undoubtedly the loss of Zach LaVine, who went down with a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season. However, since LaVine’s last game, the Timberwolves have been resilient going a respectable 6-5.
Therefore, as they seek to prove that their young core is surging and their return to relevance is near, expect them to be a tough match-up for any team down the stretch of the season.
Nevertheless, while perhaps they’ll catch Portland who continues to struggle to bust up the standings, I have a hard time believing the Wolves will have enough in their tank to catch up to the Nuggets and steal the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.