Minnesota Timberwolves: Power rankings round-up, Week Three

If the first week of the Minnesota Timberwolves season was successful and the second week was a roller coaster, then what was the third week?

Answer: a clear, unmitigated disaster. This week’s power rankings, all compiled before Monday’s collapse against the Memphis Grizzlies, reflect the depths to which the Wolves have fallen in a matter of days.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Power rankings round-up, Week Three

In previous weeks, we’ve been able to largely draw clear lines between various power rankings found around the NBA blogosphere.

Basically, there wasn’t a consensus on the Wolves, and there were certain analysts who were more bullish on the Timberwolves than others.

No longer, ladies and gentlemen. The consensus is in: the Wolves are once again a bottom-tier team in the NBA.

Everyone has the Minnesota Timberwolves ranked between No. 23 and No. 25

Sporting News, in all their generosity, has the Wolves all the way up at No. 23 and used the space to congratulate Karl-Anthony Towns for threatening a 50-40-90 campaign. Exciting, indeed.

Surprisingly, ESPN has the Wolves ranked higher than most other sites. Sure, it’s by one spot, but ESPN had been ranking the Wolves slightly lower than everyone else thus far this season.

Now, the Four Letter has the Wolves at No. 24, noting that the current losing streak has “sapped the swagger” out of a squad that started the season 3-1.

Sports Illustrated has the Wolves at No. 25, but they successfully made it hit home with a bit more sadness: “Ah, the good Wolves – we hardly knew ya.” Preaching to the choir, SI, preaching to the choir.

Zach Harper of The Athletic also has the Wolves at No. 25 (subscription required) and took a bit more time to note the brief Karl-Anthony Towns “controversy” of the week: the liked tweet that stated #FreeKAT. That came in between losses to the Clippers last week, and frankly, now feels like it was weeks ago.

Harper also notes that he’s dropped the Wolves from the tier of potential play-in teams, where they had been placed on a probationary basis, down into the “Tired of Rebuilding” tier. It’s harsh, but it’s absolutely fair.

Last week, NBA.com’s John Schuhmann optimistically had the Wolves all the way up at No. 18. Now, they’ve plummeted to No. 25 in his rankings.

Schuhmann’s always-fantastic commentary notes that the Wolves have the second-best first-half net rating of any team in basketball — perhaps not surprising if you’ve watched them play every night, but still a bit jarring to wrap one’s head around.

Ominously, he also mentions that the Golden STate Warriors, who the Wolves face on the road Wednesday night, have been the league’s best second-half team thus far this season.

Another week, another power rankings free-fall for the Wolves. BUt they aren’t at the bottom yet — just how far will they fall next week?