Heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, the Minnesota Timberwolves are considered one of the better teams in the league. However, they are still viewed as a notch below the best in the West. With the Oklahoma City Thunder being the defending champions, along with the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets, improving during the offseason, this viewpoint is understandable.
Regardless, the Wolves shouldn't be counted out as title contenders. Minnesota has made back-to-back conference finals runs, and at 24, Anthony Edwards still has yet to reach his peak. Furthermore, there's a recent precedent for teams making surprise finals runs. Over the past three seasons, the Miami Heat have made the finals as an eight seed, the Dallas Mavericks as a five seed, and the Indiana Pacers as a four seed, taking down a 60-win Cleveland Cavaliers team in the process.
While the Thunder, Rockets, and Nuggets are viewed as a tier above the Wolves right now, perhaps Minnesota can continue this trend of surprise finals runs. Undoubtedly, the Wolves check a lot of boxes to make a surprise run.
The Timberwolves have the playoff experience needed to make a finals run
The first common thread for these three teams is some level of playoff experience. Before their magical 2023 finals run, the Heat had made the finals in 2020 and the conference finals in 2022. The Luka Dončić-led Mavericks had made a conference finals run in 2021 before their 2024 finals appearance. While everyone counted them out, the Pacers had made the conference finals in 2024 before their incredible finals run this past year.
As the Mavs were led by a younger star with a history of elite playoff play, and they are from the Western Conference, this is the clearest comparison for the Wolves. Still, all of these teams should give the Wolves hope. After back-to-back conference finals runs, the Wolves have the playoff experience needed to make the franchise's first finals appearance.
The Timberwolves are built for a deep playoff run
Star play is needed to make a finals run, and Edwards is one of the five to seven best players in the league. For his career, Edwards has averaged 26.9 points in the playoffs and has taken down some of the league's best stars. Ant has defeated Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokić, LeBron James, and Dončić, being an underdog in many of these series.
Of course, Edwards and the Wolves have yet to beat the defending champs in the playoffs. Nevertheless, the Wolves have shocked the NBA world before; why can't they do it again?
An elite co-star is another ingredient needed to make a deep playoff run, and Julius Randle is just that for the Wolves. Randle averaged 21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in the playoffs. He is more than capable of being a second option on a championship-level team.
As a team that ranked in the top 10 on both sides of the ball last season, the Wolves have the balance needed to succeed at the biggest stage. Edwards and Randle mainly spearhead the offense while Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels anchor an elite defense. Plus, with Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo off the bench, Minnesota has great depth.
The Wolves will certainly be counting on some of their young players to develop, and they shouldn't be title favorites. However, if recent history has taught us anything, it's to expect the unexpected, which could set up a finals run for the Wolves.