Timberwolves Twitter was born in the darkness that was the dying days of the Kevin Garnett era when Kevin McHale thought he was Red Auerbach, and Wolves fans thought they were in for a quick rebuild. It’s always been a toxic place where fans air grievances about the team and dream of bigger and better things.
After a quick meltdown when the Minnesota Timberwolves lost two out of their first three games this season, Wolves Twitter has been a utopia of intellectual basketball thought where everyone comes to gas up the best team in the Western Conference. We’re honking because we genuinely love Naz Reid. Wolves fans are desperate to give the fifth-year center his flowers. And the vibes were immaculate with plans for a championship parade until it all came crashing down three days into 2024.
All it took was for the Timberwolves to lose two games in a row for the first time all season to burn the good vibes to the ground. The Wolves blew it! They fell all the way to 24-9 after consecutive losses to the New York Knicks and New Orleans Pelicans, two teams with a combined record of 40-29. Now we must debate trading Karl-Anthony Towns or firing Chris Finch to save the once-promising season.
I have some important news to share with the Timberwolves sickos out there who can hear the sound of my voice and see these words written to the far reaches of the internet. Everything is going to be okay! The 2023-24 Minnesota Timberwolves are not suddenly a garbage NBA team. Please, now is not the time to panic.
Now that we got that PSA out of the way, the Wolves will be just fine. They’re the last team in the NBA to go on a losing streak, and it took 33 games to get there. I understand we are not used to this level of success. But please, considering the circumstances, the Timberwolves are still doing just fine, even if the losses are coming slightly faster than in the early days of the season when the Wolves were dominating. They are still firmly a strong contender to make the NBA Finals.
We must remember that the Timberwolves are amid the toughest stretch of their schedule for the entire season. The Wolves are 12 games into a 16-game stretch in which they face teams over .500 for the season. Minnesota is 7-5 through the gauntlet, with losses to the New Orleans Pelicans (2x), Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New York Knicks while keeping pace for a 60-win season.
Minnesota’s top-ranked defense and 20th-rated offense has become the fourth-best defense and has risen to the 19th-best offense over its last 12 games. That looks bad when you’re watching the games live. But in the grand scheme of things, that’s common when you factor in the quality of their opponents. The net resting is down, the rebound rate is cratering, and Minnesota’s turnover rate is the highest in the league during this stretch. There are obvious mistakes and weaknesses to correct. But a rough patch against the best teams in the league shouldn’t shake your faith in this team that has never advanced past the Western Conference finals.
The offense is an issue and will need tweaking if the Wolves are serious about a late June run to an NBA title. Finch is a huge proponent of letting his players play in rhythm while refraining from calling many set plays. That style has hindered the Timberwolves during his almost three full seasons at the helm. During his time, Minnesota’s offense peaked at seventh-best in the league in 2021-22, and it has hovered around 113 points per 100 possessions since he took over for Ryan Saunders in February 2021. It’s not a bad offensive rating, but the record-breaking offensive boom in the league over the last two seasons is beginning to leave Finch’s system in the dust.
Minnesota’s defense is still elite but has meaningfully regressed over this stretch. Opponents have hit some hot shooting luck against the Timberwolves over the last three weeks against the entire season. That could just be good teams shooting better than average, or it could indicate some midseason regression from the still odds-on DPOY favorite Rudy Gobert and Co.
The Timberwolves have a daunting four-game road trip to end the 16-game streak. Games against the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, and Boston Celtics will determine if the Wolves remain atop the West or must play catch up as we near the All-Star Break. But there is reason to believe in this team. After the road trip, Minnesota’s schedule includes games against the Portland Trail Blazers, record-breaking Detroit Pistons, Ja Morant and the once-struggling Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets, and the San Antonio Spurs.
It’s been a tough stretch for the Timberwolves. While they haven’t been perfect, the ceiling is not falling at the Target Center like it once did at the Metrodome. Minnesota has lost two games in a row for the first time all season, but it’s not time to hit the panic button. Wolves fans have been confidently backing their team through unforeseen success to start the season, and it’s no time to stop now.
