The Minnesota Timberwolves have found many new and creative ways to win this season. It has been a welcoming change of pace. Their beleaguered fan base has seen the hometown heroes lose in every way imaginable, so having the team hanging around the .500 is a win.
In previous weeks, I have written about some of these crucial ways in which the Wolves have maintained their status as a playoff-bound team. They are both winning the games that they should, and they are also not falling victim to the “revenge” game. Overcoming these mental hurdles has paid major dividends in the quest to earn a legitimate playoff berth.
However, some of these wins have come under fortuitous circumstances. I would be remiss to not acknowledge the incredible amount of luck that Minnesota has had this year in one particular aspect of their matchups.
It’s hard not to wonder if the Timberwolves have had extraordinarily good fortune with opposing teams’ injuries this year.
Many of the marquee matchups that the Timberwolves have had this year have seen the opposition playing without one or more of their best players. Most recently, we have seen that with the Utah Jazz missing franchise pillars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. The Timberwolves, who were missing many players of their own, were able to pull out a big win regardless.
Many people would call this phenomenon luck. Luck is an ephemeral concept, of course. It can describe any situations that have a favorable outcome. It is uncontrollable, inconsistent, gentle, and unforgiving. Its effects on the Wolves this year, at least as far as luck pertains to injury, have yielded mixed results.
Reputations are not borne out of mere conjecture. The Timberwolves have had good luck because they have had many matchups against opponents that were missing star players. However, there are ways to distinguish these advantages.
It would be unrealistic not to separate playing against teams dealing with long-term injuries versus ones that have had players out for short-term knocks. The Wolves have played eight combined matchups with the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Clippers without Zion Williamson and Kawhi Leonard. Games such as these should not count towards the “luck” as extended periods of time are less of a random occurrence.
There are many other games that would fit into the latter category, though. The early season matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks without Jrue Holiday or Brook Lopez was certainly convenient, though it is still tough to go up against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton on any given day. This was the first “lucky” matchup of many.
Minnesota has played the Los Angeles Lakers without LeBron James and Anthony Davis in separate games and won both. They have played the Dallas Mavericks without Luka Doncic and split a two-game miniseries. The Wolves beat the Golden State Warriors without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. They also defeated the Portland Trail Blazers without Damian Lillard and the Brooklyn Nets without Kevin Durant.
Yes, these wins have been crucial. However, they are not anomalies in another season marred by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To say that the Timberwolves have been “lucky” this year is to be completely dismissive of all the injury problems that have plagued them. At the time of this writing, the Wolves have played in 50 games, and Malik Beasley is the only player to be healthy for all of them. And he’s been terrible. D’Angelo Russell has missed 12 games, Anthony Edwards has missed seven, and Karl-Anthony Towns has missed eight. The positive impact of Russell’s presence in the lineup is well-documented, and it is fair to wonder how different the team’s record would be if he could play a full season.
Minnesota’s players have missed games are for a variety of reasons. Patrick Beverley has missed 18 games due to COVID protocols and an assortment of other knocks. It’s the same story for many other players on the team.
Are the Timberwolves getting lucky? Yes.
However, it’s ignorant not to recognize that almost every other team has been dealing with injuries. You can say that about virtually every NBA season, though. One cannot focus solely on the “what if’s” of a season.
Injuries happen. They are a natural part of competitive sports. What matters is whether or not teams are able to capitalize on those opportunities. Thus far, the Timberwolves have been able to tread water in what has been yet another treacherous Western Conference playoff chase. You can’t ask for much else.
