What can the Timberwolves accomplish after the All-Star break after their stellar start to the season?
The Minnesota Timberwolves cruised into the 2024 NBA All-Star break on an impressive four-game win streak despite being on a long road trip. Sitting atop the Western Conference, Minnesota’s 39 wins marks the most in franchise history at the All-Star break, and it’s safe to say they have managed to prove their critics wrong so far this year.
A stifling, top-tier defense anchored by Rudy Gobert paired with offensive star power in Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns has worked to perfection for the T-Wolves. With just 27 games left on the schedule, let’s run through some bold predictions for the Timberwolves once they return to action from the All-Star break.
The Timberwolves will clinch the one seed in the Western Conference
Despite their best start in franchise history, three other teams still are within serious striking distance of catching Minnesota at the top of the West standings. With a 1.5 game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Timberwolves still have some work to do to lock up the one seed in the conference.
The season series between OKC and Minnesota has already concluded with the two teams splitting the four game series. However, there are still five more pivotal games on the Wolves’ schedule. Minnesota will face the Los Angeles Clippers twice more this season while awaiting three more matchups with the Denver Nuggets.
As the race for the top spot heats up, Minnesota holds a significant advantage already. Already having beaten the Clippers twice and the Nuggets once, the Wolves hold a small edge when it comes to potential tie-breaking scenarios, and with these upcoming matchups, the Timberwolves have the ability to control their own destiny. Assuming we see the same consistency from the team down the stretch of the season, marquee wins over Denver and Los Angeles would likely clinch the one seed for Minnesota.
This season, the Timberwolves have been the complete opposite of who they were a year ago. Last season, they constantly struggled to hold their focus and found themselves frequently blowing games in the second half.
This time around, despite some flare ups, it has been a completely different story. Minnesota has become a much more mature unit, a team with their eyes locked on executing and ultimately winning. With key contributions from a stacked starting lineup and a strong bench unit, the Timberwolves will clinch the one seed in the West.
Rudy Gobert will rewrite the record books with his fourth career DPOY victory
Amid an incredibly potent cast of potential award winners this season, the Timberwolves appear to have multiple players in serious contention for end of the season awards. The most important component of Minnesota’s success this year has been their defensive identity, and the guy anchoring that unit is arguably the best defender of this generation.
Three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert is in line to add more hardware to his trophy case, and when all is said and done, the current betting favorite for the award will deservedly win it for the fourth time in his career. Accomplishing this feat would tie him with Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo as the only players in NBA history to ever win the award four times.
On the year, Gobert’s defensive field goal percentage sits at 43.4 percent, which is an absolutely absurd number for a big man. For reference, Anthony Davis’ DFG% this season is 47.8 percent for the Los Angeles Lakers. And while narratives flow about Gobert “only protecting the paint”, that lazy take is simply far from the truth. Gobert contests over three three-pointers per game and allows just a 30.9 percent DFG% on those attempts, which is also significantly below average.
One of the most underrated players in NBA history will reestablish himself as the premier defender of his era. The surefire Hall of Famer has been the backbone of the Timberwolves’ magical season, and that shouldn’t change after the All-Star break.
Anthony Edwards makes an All-NBA team
This past offseason, Anthony Edwards signed a designated rookie max extension to tie himself to Minnesota for the long haul. As is standard for players of Edwards’ caliber, his contract included a potential escalator dependent on his All-NBA status in the final year of his rookie deal. If the All-Star guard makes an All-NBA team this season, his contract will convert to a five year, $260 million supermax deal.
With the former number one overall pick becoming a true superstar this season, the contract would definitely be well-deserved. With the new All-NBA position-less rule, Edwards simply has to finish in the top 15 of the voting in order to earn this honor. While beating out top competitors like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and several others may be tough to do, he just has to outlast some of the other contenders for the recognition.
The NBA’s new 65-game requirement for end-of-season awards will likely disqualify a few competitors along the way like we’ve already seen happen with Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. The likelihood that Edwards is named to an All-NBA team is pretty high given Minnesota’s record and his individual numbers. Averaging a career-high 26.2 points and 5.2 assists per game, the star guard is poised to at least make the All-NBA third team this season and garner a massive financial boost.
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