ESPN has been rolling out its annual NBA Summer Forecast this week. On Wednesday, they presented the projected standings for both the Eastern and Western Conference for the 2025-26 season. They have the Minnesota Timberwolves increasing their win total by two from last season.
Timberwolves projected to finish fourth in the Western Conference
ESPN’s NBA experts predicted the standings for the 2025-26 season, and it is certainly bunched up out West. The Timberwolves’ predicted record is 51-31, a slight improvement from their 49-33 record in 2024-25. It would be tied for the third-most wins in franchise history, only behind their 58 in 2003-04 and their 56 in 2023-24.
Just like last season, the top of the Western Conference standings, outside of the Thunder (64 wins), are expected to be tight. The second-seeded Rockets (54 wins) are just four games better than the sixth-seeded Lakers (50 wins).
The Timberwolves are projected to finish fourth, after being the sixth seed last year. Once again, Minnesota looks as if it will be in a tight race with the rival Nuggets. Denver has had one more win than the Wolves each of the last two seasons, and is predicted to come in third in the conference this year with a 53-29 record.
Also, having a top-four seed guarantees that team home court advantage for at least the opening round. Minnesota's 51 wins place them just one game over the two Los Angeles teams in the Clippers and Lakers.
10 teams in the West predicted to finish over .500
Despite finishing fourth, the Timberwolves aren’t far ahead of the play-in teams. All four (Warriors, Mavericks, Spurs, and Grizzlies) are projected to finish over .500. The seventh-seeded Warriors are just three games behind the Timberwolves in ESPN’s NBA Summer Forecast.
That is similar to last season. Seeds two through eight in the Western Conference were separated by only four games. The three teams directly ahead of the Timberwolves in 2024-25 each had 50 wins, one more than Minnesota's 49.
It was evident, just as it has been in most recent years, that the Western Conference is loaded with good-to-great teams. The projected standings go to show how important it is for Minnesota and other contenders in the West to not have a prolonged stretch of playing subpar basketball.
That is far different than the Eastern Conference. Just seven teams are projected to finish over .500, and only three are predicted to win 50+ games.