Will the Minnesota Timberwolves get a Christmas Day game?

The NBA is set to release the league’s schedule for the 2022-23 season in the coming weeks, and Minnesota Timberwolves fans will find out when and where their team will be playing next year. Schedule release day is always an exciting time for NBA fans, and it’s highlighted by the announcement of Christmas Day matchups.

There are many marquee showdowns on special dates throughout the NBA season, but Christmas Day is arguably the biggest. Seeing your team play on national TV on Christmas is exciting, and it’s a stage typically reserved for the most electrifying teams and players. With expectations rising for the Timberwolves in a big way this offseason, could we see them competing on December 25th? Let’s break it down.

First, let’s take a look at Minnesota’s history of Christmas Day games. While they don’t have as many appearances on the holiday as many older teams, they’ve taken the stage on Christmas twice, with both contests taking place in the last six seasons:

• December 25, 2016: Oklahoma City Thunder 112, Minnesota Timberwolves 100
• December 25, 2017: Minnesota Timberwolves 121, Los Angeles Lakers 104

After falling in their first ever Christmas matchup to Oklahoma City in 2016, the Wolves earned their second straight appearance the following year and picked up a win against the Lakers at Staples Center. Now, with arguably their best roster ever, they seem poised to make their third appearance in 2022.

How Does The NBA View Timberwolves?

The biggest determining factor in whether or not the Timberwolves will suit up on Christmas Day is how they’re viewed by the NBA and its partners. The league wants viewer numbers to be as high as possible, so they’ll put the teams and players that they think fans most want to watch on national TV for this huge day.

The Christmas Day lineup typically features the two teams that played in the Finals the previous season and other teams with must-see players. With Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Anthony Edwards all in Timberwolves uniforms, the star power that the league seeks to advertise is certainly there.

And seeing as Minnesota was recently ranked seventh in the NBA’s Western Conference offseason power rankings, it’s clear that the league has a pulse on what’s brewing in Minneapolis.

It’s also important to note that these decisions of who will play on Christmas are made before the season begins, so in-season performance won’t play a part in if the Timberwolves are selected or not. This explains why some not-so-good teams have made it onto the Christmas slate in recent years (looking at you, Lakers and Knicks).

If Minnesota is selected to play, it’ll be their third appearance in seven seasons, which would bode well for the direction of the franchise. Karl-Anthony Towns is the only player on the Wolves’ roster still remaining from the 2017-18 squad that last took the floor on Christmas Day.

Since Finals teams are often given a rematch on December 25th, the Timberwolves would likely be matched up with another Western Conference contender if selected, like the Nuggets or Mavericks. While there’s no way to know for sure until the schedule drops, the odds Minnesota gets a chance to play on Christmas seem as good as they’ve ever been.