Key stat depicts Wolves as one of the most challenging playoff teams

One game remains in the regular season. Despite so little time left, the top seed is still up for grabs. As it stands, the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves are all tied at 56-25.

On the final day of the regular season, Denver takes on the Memphis Grizzlies; Oklahoma City battles the Dallas Mavericks; and Minnesota clashes with the Phoenix Suns. Numerous possibilities exist depending on the outcome of each game.

One thing is for certain, the Wolves will have home-court advantage for at least the first round—something that hasn't happened since the 2003-04 season. Minnesota will already have one leg up on its opponent, but another stat depicts a significant advantage the Wolves have no matter who they play.

This season, the Timberwolves are a league-best 21-4 coming off a loss. They're the only squad in the association with a win percentage higher than 80 percent after a defeat. Winning four games against the Wolves in a seven-game series is a tall task.

This season has been eerily reminiscent of the lauded 2003-04 campaign. While the playstyle of the NBA has drastically changed, the Wolves boasted an elite defense and an efficient offense. Led by franchise stalwart Kevin Garnett, the Wolves ranked top five in effective field goal percentage and allowed opponents to a measly 89.1 points per game.

In the 2023-24 season, Minnesota allows the least amount of points per game, 106.3, and possesses a top-10 field goal, 3-point, and effective field goal percentage. The high-level efficiency and top-notch defense have led to extreme consistency.

After a loss, the Wolves' average margin of victory is 14.1 points. In comparison, Minnesota's average margin of victory is 6.8 points this season. In the Wolves' four back-to-back losses, their average margin of defeat in the second game is just 6.5 points.

This iteration of the Timberwolves is as poised as ever. This level of poise and consistency is valuable to possess come playoff time. Whoever matches up with Minnesota will have just seven attempts to defeat the Wolves four times. For what it's worth, the Wolves are one of two teams to not suffer a losing streak of more than two games.

Going all the way to game seven is a Minnesota opponent's best chance to overcome a difficult Wolves squad. While making it to the final game is a win, playing in a rowdy atmosphere in Minneapolis will make it that much more difficult.

The Wolves are now at full strength as Karl-Anthony Towns has returned to the hardwood. With a healthy Towns, likely All-NBAer Anthony Edwards, betting-favorite Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, and potential Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, opponents beware.