Timberwolves believe that they can win this year, but can they?

Reason II: Will chemistry click this year?

While I cannot single out any player, I can say that I believe that the Minnesota Timberwolves starting five this year are a much more cohesive and complementary group than the starting five players from a year ago.  The group has some playing time together, and the additions of wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker and point guard Mike Conley Jr seem to have congealed the optimal Timberwolves roster.

That is not to say that this team is done improving. On the contrary, the Timberwolves roster has a great deal of work to do now. After all, the Timberwolves have merely competed for 30 or so games with the current core roster, and must now flex their rotations to optimize the fit and skill sets of the new roster additions.

A fine mix of wise veterans and energetic youth

What I like about this group is the fact that everyone is nose down and ready to get to work. Nobody is hitting the pause button to optimize photo opportunities. Nobody is staging appearances solely in the hope of getting press coverage. This group is a collection of very competitive basketball players who, for the most part, have learned about the value of strength in numbers.

The Minnesota Timberwolves may not be an NBA Championship team just yet. But this team, these players, are making strides in the right direction. The team has just enough veteran leadership to pull the team up from slumps, and just enough youth to elevate the energy level, optimism, and enthusiasm for the team this season.