5 Teams the Minnesota Timberwolves should surpass by New Year’s
By Will Eudy
2. New Orleans Pelicans
Next on our list is another young team stacked with young talent: the Pelicans. The fantastic duo of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram is one of the more underrated in the NBA, and the Pelicans as a whole are flying under many fans’ radar.
Add in sneaky good role players like Jose Alvarado and Herb Jones, and this shapes up to be one of the more dangerous teams in the Western Conference.
However, this is another case where as talented as the Pelicans’ roster is, Minnesota’s is simply better. Does that mean the Timberwolves are a shoo-in to end up with a better record? No, but it means that they have the means to earn more wins if circumstances improve.
Minnesota will take on New Orleans three times in 2022-23, including in the regular season finale on April 9. This could realistically end up being an opponent that holds a similar record to the Wolves throughout the year, and who finishes higher could come all the way down to game 82.
But it’s also a team that the Timberwolves could pass up before 2023 comes around. If they can do that, it’ll be great news for their hopes of finishing with a top four seed.