The Minnesota Timberwolves may be the hottest team in basketball right now. They are currently on an eight-game winning streak, and the Wolves have won their last 13 contests in a row when Julius Randle is available to play. Things are clicking for this group in a way that Tim Connelly and the front office envisioned when they opted to create this version of the roster back in September.
There were plenty of bumps in the road along the way, and more than enough struggles for the calls of breaking up this team to be legitimate at some level. But Minnesota has persevered, and are now playing some of the best basketball of any team in the association. With less than a month remaining before the playoffs begin, not many teams are going to want to see their name next to the Timberwolves when the standings are officially finalized.
With that in mind, it would seem that Minnesota has likely already finalized its rotation for when the playoffs actually begin. Rotations always shrink once the postseason comes around, and Chris Finch will undoubtedly be leaning more heavily into his veterans when the games matter most.
Against the Denver Nuggets last Wednesday, the roster was finally fully healthy again. Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley started, while Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker came off the bench. It is safe to assume these are the main eight guys Finch will roll with in the playoffs.
First game with everyone healthy against an opponent the Wolves would go all in against
— Jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) March 13, 2025
Probably fair to assume this will be close to the playoff rotation
The main 8, + 4 minutes of Clark
Chris Finch's top eight for the playoffs seems clear
After those eight players, it would seem the playing time for others will be sparse. As Jace Frederick pointed out, Jaylen Clark might be the top young player primed to get a few playoff minutes here and there due to his staggering defensive abilities. But after that, the court time for Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr. and the other guys further down the bench will likely be few and far between.
This is the expected outcome. You always have to rely on your more experienced players when the playoffs come around, and this is especially true of this Timberwolves roster. Obviously, all of those top eight guys have playoff experience, and most of them were around in Minnesota for the run to the Western Conference Finals last season. They are all battle-tested in big moments, and trusting your veterans is what wins games in the postseason.