Are the Timberwolves being respected in the West?
The Minnesota Timberwolves have made the playoffs for five straight seasons, going to the Western Conference Finals twice during this run.
Last season, the team lost in six games in the second round to the eventual Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs. The series highlighted a big issue with the Timberwolves’ roster: the lack of a secondary playmaker and creator behind Anthony Edwards
To shore up the weakness, the Timberwolves acquired LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets, but it cost them backup power forward and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Naz Reid. The team had just traded Julius Randle days before, now leaving a big gap in their frontcourt.
Even with the lack of frontcourt depth, the Timberwolves look to be one of the stronger teams in the West on paper, and their playoff track record under head coach Chris Finch speaks for itself.
Where Do They Rank?
ESPN published its Summer Forecast article, projecting where they believe every team in the league will finish this upcoming season.
The Worldwide Leader in Sports places Minnesota fifth in the West behind the Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets. Just one win separates the Timberwolves from the Nuggets and Rockets, showing how close they believe the gap is between those three teams.
The Nuggets, who finished third in the West last season and lost to the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, made minor roster changes, notably losing backup center Jonas Valanciunas and breakout wing Peyton Watson, but adding Marvin Bagley III and DeMar DeRozan.
The Rockets, the fifth seed last season, have kept their roster intact, but added defensive menace and offensive connector Marcus Smart.
A Fair Ranking?
Minnesota has won 49 games in each of the last two seasons, and benefited from good health last year before Anthony Edwards got banged up in the playoffs and Donte DiVincenzo tore his Achilles in the first round.
There is no doubt that the Spurs and Thunder are the class of the Western Conference, but the Timberwolves, Rockets, Nuggets, and Lakers are all fighting for the third seed with little separation between them.
The Nuggets and Rockets have roster continuity, and the Lakers have depth, but Minnesota has a strong top four. If Edwards and Ball can stay healthy for the majority of the season and Jaden McDaniels continues to progress, they can pull ahead of the other three teams.
Their frontcourt is a big issue, and if they don’t add depth to the position, the long season could take its toll on Edwards and Ball having to do too much without having a strong outlet inside the arc.
