Dunking With Wolves
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Minnesota Timberwolves roundtable: Reviewing the schedule

By Brian Sampson

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 26: Tom Thibodeau, President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach and Scott Layden, General Manager, of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 26: Tom Thibodeau, President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach and Scott Layden, General Manager, of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 26: Tom Thibodeau, President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach and Scott Layden, General Manager, of the Minnesota Timberwolves pose for portraits on April 26, 2016 at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 26: Tom Thibodeau, President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach and Scott Layden, General Manager, of the Minnesota Timberwolves pose for portraits on April 26, 2016 at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Dunking With Wolves staff participate in a Minnesota Timberwolves roundtable with Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale to discuss Kyrie Irving.

1. What is the Timberwolves game you are most looking forward to this season?

Dan Favale via Bleacher Report (@danfavale): It has to be Jan. 12 versus the New York Knicks. Their Friday, Jan. 8 matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers gets an honorable mention, since they were linked to Kyrie Irving trade rumors, and it’d be interesting to see them play host to him less than one month after Jeff Teague is eligible to get traded. But since we can’t guarantee Irving will still be around, give me the Karl-Anthony Towns vs. Kristaps Porzingis matchup we’re supposed to be reveling in for the next decade-plus.

Other bigs obviously factor into the unicorn discussion–Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, even Giannis Antetokounmpo. But these two, in essence, we’re the ones that kind of started, or at least powerfully furthered, the do-it-all-center movement. Both are supposed to be myth-level offensive players with Defensive Player of the Year ceilings, so it’ll be interesting to see how they stack up in their third years, particularly with Towns playing beside so many different faces and Porzingis, presumably, receiving a larger share of the Knicks’ offense.

Max Neuhaus (MaX_nEuHaUs): The Timberwolves will have plenty of games against top quality competition this season. Games against the likes of Cleveland, Golden State, and Houston are littered all over the schedule. The game I have circled on the schedule, however, is the second game of the year.

There is so much to be excited for on Oct. 20. First of all, fans will get their first look at the renovated Target Center. Many fans saw the home of the Wolves as one of the worst stadiums in the NBA, so a facelift was much-needed.

But more importantly, the product on the field will be markedly better. With the big addition of Jimmy Butler from Chicago, fans will get to see the big three of Butler, Towns, and Andrew Wiggins for the first time in person in the new uniforms.

Any home opener is always loud and crazy, but adding the former fan favorite point guard Ricky Rubio’s return will turn it up a notch.

While playing against Kevin Durant and LeBron James is always exciting, the start of the home portion of the Wolves schedule will get beyond excited.

https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/897454529859522561

Jaime Tyler: This one is easy. The game that I’m most looking forward to is on Dec 25 against the Los Angeles Lakers. I had this one inked on my calendar right away for a few reasons.

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First off, the Wolves, despite having a couple dozen national TV games this season, will get their first chance to show off their new team to a wide audience. Secondly, Oklahoma City walloped and embarrassed Minnesota last Christmas. The Wolves need to avenge that ugly loss on the unofficial opening of the NBA season this year. Third, they say the standings on Christmas more or less match the standings at the end of the season. Therefore, if the Wolves are in a comfortable Western Conference playoff position come their trip to Staples Center, Wolves fans should rejoice in the fact that the postseason should be a reality this year.

Furthermore, this game is against an exciting, young Lakers team. One that I want to watch the Wolves play because I really enjoy Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram as players. And one that I want to see the Wolves trounce because, you know, it’s the Lakers.

Finally, I live in Los Angeles, so I already know what Santa Claus will have under my tree this winter — tickets to see the Wolves play the Lakers in a holiday classic.

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