At 35-22, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a similar record (31-26) as they did at this time last year. However, putting the record and some consistency problems aside, I think that this year's Wolves squad has more championship upside than last year's. That's high praise since the Wolves made the conference finals last season. Even still, they were never a true threat to win it all, but this year, I think, things could be different.
My belief in this year's Wolves squad is based on several factors. Firstly, both Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels have made significant strides offensively. Additionally, with a full year of being acclimated to the team, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo have been playing at a higher level.
The Wolves' young players weren't able to fill the void left behind by Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Nevertheless, after trading for Ayo Dosunmu and with Bones Hyland's emergence, the Wolves have a similar level of depth compared to last year. The Wolves also have a top 10 offense and defense, which gives them the needed two-way balance to win it all.
Of course, none of this guarantees another deep playoff run for the Wolves -- but they certainly have a solid shot. And if the Wolves return to the conference finals again, they have a much better chance to get over the hump in my eyes.
Why the Wolves have more championship upside this season
Ant has always been great, but he's reached another level offensively this season. Notably, Edwards is averaging a career-best 29.5 points and ranks second in clutch points per game. Edwards' growth as a mid-range scorer has perhaps been the biggest difference -- he is averaging a career-high 3.8 mid-range shots per game on 44.1 percent shooting.
These factors make Ant a more unstoppable and less predictable scorer. While he's already been a great playoff performer, this could help him reach another level.
McDaniels' offensive growth is another undeniable factor in the Wolves' championship upside. The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging a career-high 14.8 points on 44.9 percent 3-point shooting. McDaniels' 11.9 percent 3-point shooting leap is the most significant area of growth.
Now teams can no longer sag off McDaniels, which in turn opens up more offensive opportunities for Edwards and Randle. This growth will be especially vital in the playoffs. Beyond this shooting leap, McDaniels has improved greatly as an on-ball creator, which gives the Wolves another element as they now have three dependable shot creators.
After being traded to the Wolves shortly before last season, it was understandable that Randle and DiVincenzo got off to a slow start. They eventually found their grooves -- Randle especially thrived in the playoffs. While DiVincenzo had his moments last season, he struggled in the playoffs, averaging 8.7 points on 36.5 percent shooting from the field and 31.8 percent shooting from 3-point range.
Regardless, this year the fit has been seamless from day one. Notably, both players have increased their scoring and assists averages. Simply put, though, the on-court chemistry between these two players and the rest of the team looks a lot better.
DiVincenzo has been a fantastic addition to the starting five, giving the Wolves some extra shooting and creation juice. Furthermore, he is having the best playmaking season of his career. This new look starting lineup has a stellar plus-8.9 net rating.
Assuming Randle can turn up his defensive intensity, while maintaining his offensive production, and DiVincenzo can continue his stellar all-around play, there's no reason why Minnesota can't make another deep run.
Again, in a grueling Western Conference, nothing is guaranteed, and the all-mighty Oklahoma City Thunder remain a challenging hurdle. Nevertheless, the Wolves have a real chance to go on a magical championship run, and at the very least, they have a better chance than the previous two seasons.