Where would the Minnesota Timberwolves rank if they were in the East?
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a solid season in a tough Western Conference. Expectations will again be high this year, but, theoretically, just how well could the Wolves do in the East?
The Timberwolves’ 47-35 record last season was good enough for an eighth-place finish in the Western Conference, setting up an unfortunate matchup against the top-seeded Houston Rockets.
Things may have been different if the Wolves were in the East, however. A 47-35 record in the lesser conference would’ve had the Timberwolves sitting in the sixth seed, one game behind Indiana for No. 5, and setting up a first round matchup against the 76ers.
The unfortunate injury to Jimmy Butler, which may have robbed Minnesota of a home-court advantage in the first leg of the playoffs and could’ve led to a deeper run, would also have boosted their hypothetical chances in the East should it have not occurred.
If the Timberwolves upped their win count by six games, they would’ve ended up in the third seed in either conference. In the West, this would’ve created a difficult first-round matchup against the Pelicans, who finished with 48 wins. In the East, it would’ve been against the 44-win Heat. While neither series would’ve been easy, I think we’d all prefer a home series against Miami over one against the Pelicans, and both would’ve been more ideal than the series in Houston.
With all the supposed drama taking place in Minnesota when it comes to contract negotiations and issues among teammates, it’s hard to know how the Wolves will look on the court next season. At the end of the day, these guys are professionals getting paid a lot of money to play basketball, and I believe the Wolves will only build on the season they had with some new additions and hopefully some added team chemistry.
Looking at the East, it seems as though the Wolves would do quite well were they to switch conferences. The only Eastern Conference teams that look to clearly be stronger than the Wolves are Boston and perhaps Toronto, if their new team members and coach gel.
The Philadelphia 76ers will also be very good, and the Wolves would likely be in a battle with the third seed with them for most of the season.
Considering Cleveland will almost certainly be nowhere near as competitive as they have been the last few seasons, the Wolves would almost surely have a top-four finish and home court advantage to begin the playoffs. It’s not difficult to see the hypothetical East Timberwolves making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Unfortunately, things may not be so peachy in our reality of the Western Conference.
Golden State and Houston will likely take out the top two seeds again, while Portland and the new-Melo-less OKC may be in competition with the Wolves for the third and fourth seeds. Denver will be looking for redemption after they narrowly missed the playoffs, and with a strong/healthy I can see them making the leap into the top eight.
After a surprisingly strong season, Utah doesn’t look to be changing much and will be another competitor, while the Spurs’ addition of DeMar DeRozan replacing Kawhi Leonard, who only played nine games last season, will keep them competitive.
The Lakers, with their new LeBron-focused team will also be a likelihood to qualify, despite not having the strongest supporting cast.
Things are certainly going to be tight in next seasons Western Conference, and the Timberwolves may be in another struggle for a playoff finish.
If only things were different, the Wolves would likely have an easy stroll to a postseason appearance in the Eastern Conference.
Next: Three potential blockbuster trades for Jimmy Butler
Next season is going to be a tough one for the Timberwolves, but they certainly have a roster strong enough to compete — even in the West.