When the NBA All-Star break ends on Thursday, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be heading into the home stretch of their season. The race in the Western Conference remains as close as it has been all year long, and every game will be of massive importance to the Timberwolves’ postseason positioning.
This group of players has been putting the pieces together slowly but surely since the calendar turned to 2023. Their chemistry has improved, and they have been able to form some semblance of consistency as the year has worn on. Their struggles have not disappeared entirely, but they certainly look much more like the contender they were touted as all offseason.
The Timberwolves currently sit at eighth place in the West, but they are just two games back of the fourth seed and home court advantage in the playoffs. Their remaining schedule is nothing short of a gauntlet, but Minnesota is still in solid position to finish the season strong. Here are the three biggest questions the Wolves must answer in their final 21 regular season games.
How far can Anthony Edwards’ talent take this group?
Everyone who has watched Anthony Edwards in his three professional seasons thus far can attest to his incredible talent. Coming into the NBA, his gifts of raw athletic talent and natural shot-making ability were clear to see.
But this season, it is clear that Edwards is taking his game to a whole new level. He is averaging career highs in nearly every statistical category, while taking on the role of the Timberwolves’ top offensive option. Ant is drawing more defensive attention from opponents than ever before while still scoring at will.
His All-Star nomination and subsequent first overall selection by LeBron James in the 2023 All-Star game have made his accomplishments that much more relevant. A player like Anthony Edwards can significantly raise the ceiling of any team. So the question is, how much further can he push this Timberwolves team?
Of course, the contributions of his teammates will matter as well, but how much Ant continues to elevate his game will play a big part in determining how far the Wolves go this year.