Minnesota Timberwolves New Year’s resolutions: Player development

3. Catch the Spurs

At 24-14, Minnesota sits solidly in fourth place in the West. The Oklahoma City Thunder are 3.5 games behind them in fifth, but even closer is the San Antonio Spurs in third-only 1.5 games ahead.

Obviously, there’s a lot of basketball to be played with just over half the season remaining. Nonetheless, it’s an encouraging sign Minnesota is so close to third, having just begun to gel in the last couple of weeks. Earning the three seed in the playoffs would be a huge moral, and tactical, victory for the squad.

With the Golden State Warriors all but a lock to wrap up first in the West, this means Minnesota would likely play the Houston Rockets in the second round of the playoffs. And with Houston’s sketchy playoff success, who knows what would happen in a best of seven series between the two teams.

Butler could lock down Harden while Towns and Wiggins take that monumental step on the games biggest stage. With Chris Paul‘s injury history getting longer and longer who knows if he’d even be able available during the series. There are definitely lots of variables that could favor the Wolves.

Of course, I’m getting way ahead of myself, but that’s what this website is for right? Let me bathe in my picture-perfect season and dream up scenarios however I want. Are you going to the be the cloud that rains on my parade?