Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 Bold predictions for the 2022-23 season
By Will Eudy
2. Timberwolves Earn A Top 4 Seed In The West
If Minnesota is going to win north of 55 games in 2022-23, it seems logical that they would end up in the top half of the playoff bracket. While it may seem like a tall order to finish in the top four seeds and secure home court in the first round, the Timberwolves will have the personnel to win consistently enough where it will be a possibility.
A team of Minnesota’s caliber finishing significantly higher than it did last year isn’t without precedent either. Several teams in recent memory have had a breakout regular season where they rose to prominence as a true contender. Just last year, the Memphis Grizzlies finished six spots higher than they did in 2021, tying their franchise record for wins in the regular season.
The year before that, the Phoenix Suns earned the two seed in the West and made it to the NBA Finals after finishing 10th in the conference the previous year.
https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1499039827244863490?s=20&t=Hps-0C7LGJ8ZscRr4QR64Q
Of course, if the Timberwolves are going to finish with a top four seed next year, that means they’ll have to win more than several teams that finished above them last season. With the Warriors, Suns, Grizzlies, Nuggets, and Mavericks all virtual locks to return to the playoffs next April, Minnesota will have to be better than at least two of them before regular season’s end.
With all the talent in the Western Conference, it won’t be easy. But if the Timberwolves can fall on the right side of the injury luck coin, they should be able to secure home court for the first round.