Predicting how many games the Timberwolves will win this season

They always say that the sequel is harder to make than the original. That is to say, following up any incredible performance is more difficult than accomplishing that feat in the first place. To use a basketball analogy, many former NBA players will tell you that staying in the league is more difficult than making the league. As with anything, sustained success in basketball is hard to come by.

That is what makes the Minnesota Timberwolves' upcoming season seem like such a considerable challenge. The Wolves won their second-most games in franchise history in 2023-24 and went to the Western Conference Finals for just the second time ever. They proved that they deserve to be mentioned among the top contenders in the West, and added some additional young talent in the offseason as well. But now, everything changes for them.

Previously looked down upon as almost a joke of a franchise, many players around the league did not take Minnesota seriously. In years past, they were a team that someone could take a night off against. Now, that perception has flipped completely on its head. The Timberwolves have a target on their back, and they are going to get their opponents' A-game nearly every night this coming season.

With those increased expectations comes a unique challenge. Before, Minnesota was an unproven squad with some exciting pieces but no real standard to live up to, simply trying to be the best they could be as a group. Now, they know what they are capable of, and will at some level feel like they should be achieving in the way they were last season.

The Timberwolves will likely have growing pains with their new additions

Doing that with the same roster as last year would have been challenging on its own, but now swapping out Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and adding Donte DiVincenzo adds another layer to the Wolves' mission. There are likely to be some growing pains with these new guys on the roster, although they both looked like near-seamless fits in the preseason.

From there, we have to look at the landscape of the Western Conference and its current state. What changed from last season? By the look of it, the conference as a whole got better. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who just barely edged out the Timberwolves for the top seed a season ago, added Alex Caruso to bolster their perimeter defense. And on the interior, they now employ Isaiah Hartenstein, making them the runaway favorite to earn the number one seed again.

Additionally, many are forgetting about the talented Memphis Grizzlies. They were the most injury-plagued team in the association last season, and are primed to be back on top soon. Other playoff teams or borderline-playoff teams like the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs all got better as well.

Many count Minnesota in that category of teams that got better as well, but they will certainly have some stiff competition. After winning 56 games a season ago, it is reasonable to think the Timberwolves may take a small step backwards and end up winning around 52 games. A 52-30 record is still more than impressive, and would likely be enough to keep the Wolves in the top four in the conference standings.

Prediction: 52 wins, 30 losses