On the Timberwolves’ awful start to the month of March

The Timberwolves have a tough schedule to start March, and with perhaps the two easiest games of an eight-game stretch out of the way, the Wolves sit at 0-2 and have slid their way out of the third seed.

I’ve talked plenty about the Timberwolves’tough eight-game stretch to start March.

While Utah and Portland were possibly the easiest games of the lot the Wolves have lost both, and now face games against Boston, Golden State, Washington, San Antonio and Houston in an attempt to keep themselves in the playoff race before wrapping up the stretch against an unpredictable LA Clippers.

With their 0-2 start to this stretch, the Wolves have slipped out of the third seed and are just one game inside the top-eight. Yes, that is a scary thought, and yes, the Western Conference is a terrible place to try and break a 14-year playoff drought.

While I’m trying my best to stay positive, the Timberwolves’ past has had me prepared all season for a slide right out of comfort into playoff limbo to take place. I’ve hoped beyond hope that the Timberwolves would be able to maintain a third or fourth-seed position, especially with such a tough Western Conference separating home court advantage in the playoffs and the draft lottery by only a few games.

A big part of whether or not the Wolves could survive was this eight-game stretch, and this is the worst start the Wolves could’ve had.

Of course, Jimmy Butler‘s injury is an unfortunate hurdle the Timberwolves have to overcome, but he’s not the only reason that the team has sat inside the top four in the West for most of the season, and the rest of the group needs to step up.

When Karl-Anthony Towns and Jeff Teague were both ejected against Utah, that game was as good as done in my opinion, while the Portland game could’ve been more competitive.

The Timberwolves now have a six-day stretch to get their act together and get a plan in place to stay competitive against a strong Boston side on Thursday.

Thankfully for the Wolves, this game, as well as the following against Golden State are taking place at Target Center, where the team currently holds a 25-7 record on the season.

The Timberwolves strong home play this season may be the thing that gets them through this tough eight game stretch, and thus in a playoff position.

Of the six remaining games in the eight-game stretch, four take place at home, including the finale against the Clippers. These home games in particular need to take a particular importance for the Wolves, who need to come out of the stretch with at least a couple of wins to stay competitive.

It would be tough to see the Wolves drop out of the top-eight this late in the season and be chasing one of the final playoff positions for the rest of the season. The Wolves have played exceptionally well to this point in the season, and their top-four seed has been a reward both to the players and the fans.

While this eight-game stretch would’ve been made a lot easier if the Wolves could have taken at least one win in the first two games, not all hope is lost yet. The Timberwolves have manage a strong home record all season long, and hopefully that will help them survive through this stretch and cement their place as a playoff competitor.

Next: Jimmy Butler is a Top 10 Player in the NBA

The Timberwolves’ tough stretch is only just beginning. Hopefully their strong showing at home this season continues and the Wolves cement their place in the top eight.