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Timberwolves Notes: Wolves-Thunder a playoff preview?

By Ben Beecken

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 27: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends against Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the game on October 27, 2017 at the Target Center 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 27: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends against Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the game on October 27, 2017 at the Target Center 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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The Timberwolves and Thunder will square-off for a fourth and final time in the regular season on Wednesday night, and there is no shortage of speculation related to what an OKC-MIN playoff series could look like come spring.

The Timberwolves have won two out of their three matchups with the Oklahoma City Thunder thus far this season, and the combined margin of victory for the winning team has been just nine points.

In other words, this would be one heckuva playoff series.

ESPN posted an Insider article featuring the “most likely” playoff matchups based on predictions from their Basketball Power Index (BPI). Not surprisingly, BPI projects the Wolves and Thunder to face-off in the first round come April, but also gives each team a realistic shot at catching banged-up San Antonio for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

The Wolves-Thunder section reads, in part:

"Wednesday’s clash on ESPN is not only their fourth and final meeting of the regular season but could very well be a preview of more to come. Though BPI gives both the Timberwolves and Thunder reasonable chances of catching the Spurs for the No. 3 seed, the safe bet is on them meeting in the first round, as it grades out as BPI’s most likely potential matchup in either conference.If the season series is any indication, we’d be in for a treat — each of the three previous meetings were decided by fewer than five points. The first ended on an Andrew Wiggins buzzer-beater from well beyond the 3-point line that banked in mere moments after Carmelo Anthony hit what appeared to be the game winner on the other end."

It also teases a potential Kevin Durant vs. Russell Westbrook showdown in the second round, although methinks that Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns might have something to say about that.

ESPN.com also posted a more substantial (free, not Insider) debate between five of their NBA Insiders, including Brian Windhorst, who’s reported plenty on Tom Thibodeau and the Wolves over the past year-plus, and Kevin Pelton, the ESPN Insider advanced stats/analytics guru. Also included is Royce Young, the longtime Thunder reporter for a variety of outlets.

Long story short, they pretty much all think that the Thunder would win a playoff series, and the Thunder are a “bigger threat” to the Warriors this season. Four of the five also believe that Andrew Wiggins is not living up to his new contract that kicks in next season, and they all think that the Wolves have a “brighter future” than the Thunder, mostly due to the pending free agencies of the Thunder stars. Oh, and KAT.

The most intriguing portion of the article came in the fifth and final question, when the roundtable discussed the upcoming trade deadline. The Suns’ Tyson Chandler was mentioned as a potential Wolves target by Andre Snellings (ESPN Fantasy reporter), while Pelton brings up Atlanta’s Marco Bellinelli, a 37.8 percent career 3-point shooter who played for Tom Thibodeau in Chicago back in 2012-13.

Pelton notes that the Wolves would almost surely have to pony-up a first-round pick and find a way to move Cole Aldrich — neither things that look all too appealing for an acquisition that will almost surely be a rental.

The Wolves certainly don’t have much roster flexibility, but they do have pieces to move such as Aldrich and Shabazz Muhammad, and if they get really crazy, rookie big man Justin Patton. They’ll surely have to attach at least one draft pick, however, and it remains to be seen how much of the future Coach Tom Thibodeau will be able to convince Executive Tom Thibodeau (not to mention general manager Scott Layden) to mortgage for (possible) short-term gain.

Next: Timberwolves Power Rankings: Stars shine through

We’ll be back after Timberwolves-Thunder with thoughts on the game.

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