Over the years the Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled to win games. Making it hard to find rivals the Wolves’ have really stuck it with. With new found success as of late, let’s view five teams that have become the team’s biggest rivals.
It’s truly hard to find in recent history a team that the Wolves’ have really had a rivalry with.
A team’s division partners are always an obvious choice because you have to play them so much. But unlike most divisions, the Northwest isn’t that big of a competitive division.
It’s competitive, but not like any other division for the sole reason that they aren’t that close together like most.
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Think about it… Minnesota shouldn’t be in the Western conference. They’d be a lot better in the Eastern Conference where they can be closer to some of the other teams. They’d be close to other teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers.
Anything that happened during the Kevin Garnett days or the past doesn’t really apply because of the recent losing seasons. You have to almost view it as the time from when they traded Kevin Love, to now. Just because that is when that future of the Wolves’ has been established.
For now, it will have to be ranked as past trades, competitive games and divisional play.
5. Golden State Warriors
It seems as if every team has beef with the Golden State Warriors. How can you not? They are easily one of the greatest team to be assembled. Every team wants to take down the 2017 NBA champions. When you show up to play this squad, you need to bring every ounce of ‘A’ game you have. It’s the only way to beat them.
Of course, anytime you’ll play them things will get chippy and it can get ugly. To have a shot to be a team that rarely loses is a great feeling. Minnesota weirdly gets that feeling a lot against the Warriors. They are 2-5 against them in the past two seasons.
One of those wins happened back during the Warriors historic season. That year the Warriors went 73-9, while the Wolves’ won only 29 games. Somehow the Wolves’ managed to pull off a complete upset and came away with a win in overtime, 124-117. As a matter of fact, the Wolves’ overcame a 17-point deficit. As a Huge reason was due to Shabazz Muhammad as he put up 35-points.
Things can get chippy against the Warriors – especially if your name is Gorgui Dieng and JaVale McGee.
One of the bright moment’s last season came with a 103-102 win over the Warriors in front of a big crowd of fans at the Target Center. It was a nail-biter till the end, but luckily the Wolves’ were able to pull it off.
It seems that they have the Warriors’ number. Whether it’s because of their ability to run with them due to a large amount of athleticism, or their ability to play small-ball. Whatever it is, the Wolves’ always have good success against a team that always seems to beat anyone.
4. Denver Nuggets
Anytime you have a divisional opponent – the stakes are higher. With these games playing a key factor in who wins the division. So anytime you can steal away a win from your division rivals, you do it.
Things have gotten a lot more interesting lately. Two young stars in Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Jokic have been facing off. There has been a debacle about which player is better. While I may be biased towards Towns, I, full hardheartedly, believe that he is better. Mostly because he is more athletic, and can do practically anything you ask him to do.
The two teams are very young and have promising futures. It wouldn’t surprise me if the two teams were fighting for first place in the Northwest in the coming years. Minnesota is still the clear favorite to take that from Denver, but the Nuggets are only a few pieces away.
That being said, Minnesota hasn’t been the favorite thus far. In the past three years, they have only posted a 4-8 record. Things should be different going forward with all the new talent coming into Minnesota. Plus another year of Towns and Andrew Wiggins will surely mask what Denver is doing.
The Nuggets may have added Paul Millsap, but that won’t be enough to win the season series most likely. But, it’s going to continue to be competitive like it has been. This past season the Wolves’ split the series 2-2. That should hopefully grow as the more seasons come.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
Another division opponents finds its way on the top five list. The record is not pretty whatsoever. The only time these two teams split a 2-2 record in a season dates back to the 2012-13′. Since then it’s been ugly to say the least.
That’s what happens though when you have a tandem of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Though Durant left this past off-season, the Thunder still held victorious over the Wolves with a 1-3 record.
One of those losses came with the Wolves’ first Christmas day game. It wasn’t pretty by any means. Westbrook took over the game, much like he did so often this season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder look to be a tougher match-up this upcoming season. They traded for All-Star Paul George without having to give much up. Not only that, but they added Patrick Patterson in a very team friendly contract. Minnesota was able to steal Taj Gibson away from the Thunder, but losing just him won’t hurt them that bad.
There’s been a lot of talk as to who will win the division this season. Will it be the Thunder or the Wolves? Who takes the fourth or fifth seed in the Western Conference? Only time will tell that.
According to ESPN’s projected standing based off real plus/minus, the Wolves’ are pegged to finish over the Thunder by just one win. It will be close, that’s for sure. The two teams will be very close and competitive all season long.
Hopefully they do come on top victorious, with of course a few extra wins.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
I’m sure many of you already see why the Cleveland Cavaliers made this list. They are the sole reason the Wolves’ are primed for a bright future.
If the Wolves’ don’t trade Kevin Love, the team is looking at a possible .500 record for a few seasons. Because they trade him for Wiggins, the Wolves were able to rebuild under a bright talent that only comes once in a blue moon.
Plus with the rebuild faze, Minnesota was able to get number one pick in Towns’. Now things are starting to look a little bit brighter all of the sudden. Now Minnesota has Jimmy Butler and other solid complimentary pieces all because they traded Love for Wiggins.
Ever since then, it’s always been a big game for both parties. In Love’s first game back in Minnesota, he experienced quite a bit of boo’s throughout the game.
It’s not so often that you see the Target Center packed seat to seat during the dog days. But, for the case of seeing one of the biggest stars your franchise has ever had play against you – is just too hard not to see. It was hard the way Love left Minnesota. He gave the fans hope that the teams losing seasons were finally over. But, he spent time doing knuckle push-ups and trying to claw his way out of Minnesota.
Of course this was a favorable memory for Minnesota fans.
Wiggins still seeks revenge on his former team and LeBron James. He plays some of his best games against James and the Cavaliers surprisingly. You wouldn’t think a young player has the most success against LeBron.
Wiggins averages 32 points a game when facing off against the Cavs. Including this career game this past season.
Here is too more great games between the two. Oh, and if Kyrie Irving stays, I’m sure he will be looking at Minnesota closely for future destinations.
1. Milwaukee Bucks
Of course, I had to put the Milwaukee Bucks at number one. It’s hard not to since they are a Wisconsin team. Every Minnesota sport has a big rivalry with Wisconsin. The Vikings and Packers, The Gophers and Badgers, and the Twins and Brewers.
It’s the border battle. Stakes are higher, and crowds are bigger anytime these two states play each other. I had the opportunity to watch these two teams play at the Target Center this past season and I can tell you that the TC was rockin’. It was a full house, mostly Minnesota fans, but it was a close second with Milwaukee fans. It was a loud atmosphere with a lot smack talk everywhere you looked. It’s just an engraved rivalry between the two states.
It’s been a debate the past few years on who has the best two young players. Is it Wiggins and Towns, or Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo? By the looks of it now, Minnesota is the winner but it is close. It’s too bad to see Parker go down with two ACL’s in his short young career.
It wouldn’t surprise me if this rivalry continues to grow as these two teams gain experience and eventually become two dominant teams.
Since the 2012-13′ season, both Milwaukee and Minnesota have split a 5-5 record. Until this past year, it’s always been a sweep. Minnesota held the first two sweeps, and Milwaukee took the past two. Until this year where they both split a 1-1 record.
One of the great moments last year happened at this moment.
Next: Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love's top 10 games
Things should continue to get edgy, and competitive between these teams. Especially with Minnesota rising this past off-season.