How far can the Minnesota Timberwolves go in 2023 playoffs?

After the Minnesota Timberwolves impressed last season and finished with 46 wins in the regular season, they matched up in the playoffs with a Memphis Grizzlies squad that won the second-most games in the association last year. The Wolves proved to be a good matchup for the Grizz, giving them all they could handle in a six-game thriller of a series.

In fact, the argument could be made that Minnesota wasn’t that far away from winning the series outright. The Timberwolves held double-digit leads in three of their four losses in the series, including game five where Anthony Edwards‘ heroic game-tying three was negated by a last-second layup from Ja Morant. If a few key plays go differently, they could have very easily moved on to face the Warriors in the second round.

With how close the Timberwolves were to advancing against one of the best teams in the league last year, the fanbase was already understandably buzzing with excitement over the future of this team. And just when it seemed the hype couldn’t grow any more, the front office decided to swing for the fences and trade for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.

With a starting lineup now studded with All-Star level talent, the Wolves are primed for even more success next year, and expectations are nearing an all-time high. So the question is, how far can we expect this group go in the playoffs in 2023?

Defensive Execution Doomed Wolves in 2022 Playoffs

It’s easy to say that if a few plays had gone differently, the Timberwolves would have been in the conference semifinals facing the Warriors. But the reality is that they didn’t get there, and their inability to hold on to leads cost them the chance. So the first factor that will determine what this team achieves next year is defensive execution.

If they can function cohesively and execute their game plan on defense night in and night out, they’re going to be in good shape. Thankfully, having a defensive anchor of Rudy Gobert’s caliber shouldn’t hurt their chances of doing that.

The other biggest factor is star power. Like with any great team, the Timberwolves are likely going to go as their stars go. And as we’ve seen, when they’re firing on all cylinders, they’re going to be an extremely tough team to beat. With Anthony Edwards moving toward becoming one of the best perimeter players in the NBA, his continued progression can raise the ceiling of this team significantly.

Of course, playoff matchups will play a big part in how far this team goes as well. With how stacked the Western Conference is shaping up to be, Minnesota could earn a top four seed but still draw an extremely difficult matchup. The good news is that they’ll be a much tougher out now that they’re better equipped to battle teams on the boards.

Overall, the Timberwolves’ potential for the 2023 playoffs is limitless. While it’s not out of the question that they could run into a hot team and be done in the first round, I think it’s much more likely we see them put it all together and end up playing deep into the month of May, possibly even June.