The Minnesota Timberwolves are enjoying one of their best regular seasons in franchise history. They have been hovering at or around first place in the Western Conference standings for most of the year, and they will have a chance to make a very deep run in the playoffs with their star talent and exceptional team defense.
Minnesota has officially clinched a top six spot in the West and is guaranteed to be in the eight-team playoff field. Where they ultimately land and which matchup they draw will play a large part in how far they go, along with the health of Karl-Anthony Towns. But with a roster deep with talent and solid coaching, Wolves fans have every reason to be excited about this team.
There are still a few looming problems Minnesota will want to correct if they are to make it all the way to the NBA Finals and take home the first championship in the history of the franchise. These are the four biggest issues for the team to address.
Winning close games
One of the qualities that almost every legitimate championship contender has is the ability to execute down the stretch of close games and pull out victories among difficult circumstances. As of right now, that is something the Timberwolves could stand to work on.
Minnesota currently owns just the eleventh-best winning percentage in the NBA in close games this season. Even lottery teams like Memphis and San Antonio are ahead of them. Their 55% winning percentage in close game scenarios is a slight improvement over their 53% mark from last season, but it is concerning nonetheless.
The Timberwolves have lost games by three points or less to the Raptors, Hornets, Spurs, Magic, Clippers, and Nuggets this season. Half of these losses were against teams that will not even be in the postseason. Getting better in the clutch will be crucial in improving Minnesota's title chances.