The Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot of new pieces to break in next season, and it prompted the team to take a trip to Paris to get a head start. Their early-season schedule isn’t doing them any favors, however, as Minnesota will open the season with four of their first seven games against teams that made the playoffs one year ago.
With plenty of competition, it could be a tough draw for a team that’s hoping its changes will help it close the gap in the Western Conference. But thankfully, as The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski noted, after a tough start comes an eight-game homestand that is the longest in franchise history from Nov. 8 through Nov. 23.
- Nov. 8 vs. Utah Jazz
- Nov. 12 vs. Dallas Mavericks
- Nov. 14 vs. Chicago Bulls
- Nov. 16 vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- Nov. 17 vs. Trail Blazers
- Nov. 19 vs. New York Knicks
- Nov. 21 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
- Nov. 23 vs. Brooklyn Nets
This is also part of an advantage where the Wolves have 13 of their first 20 games at home, and it could fuel the kind of fast start that makes their pursuit of a championship a lot easier.
Timberwolves’ early gauntlet sets up a massive opportunity
Looking at the Timberwolves’ schedule, it’s clear they will be challenged early. Minnesota opens the season on Oct. 21 against a Miami Heat team that missed last year’s playoffs, but will have Giannis Antetokounmpo making his debut after an offseason trade from the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Wolves then visit the Orlando Magic, who took the top-seeded Detroit Pistons to seven games in the first round of last year’s playoffs, on Oct. 23. Another playoff team from a year ago awaits for their home opener against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 25 and Minnesota’s schedule also features road games at the San Antonio Spurs (Oct. 31) and Houston Rockets (Nov. 4).
Even the Wolves’ games against non-playoff opponents are tricky to begin the year with home matchups against the Golden State Warriors (Oct. 28) and Milwaukee Bucks and a trip to visit the New Orleans Pelicans (Nov. 6). But all of that sets up for the eight-game homestand that could play a massive role in their success.
The games are not layups, as it begins with a Jazz team that features Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson in the backcourt along with Ace Bailey, Kyle Filipowski and Lauri Markkanen to round out the starting lineup. The Mavericks have Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving to worry about, and even the Chicago Bulls have a bevy of young talent, including Caleb Wilson, who was the fourth overall pick in June’s draft.
The Blazers are coming off a playoff appearance and are now led by former Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, and Karl-Anthony Towns will pay a visit with a championship ring in hand when the Knicks come to town.
At the end, the Wolves will have to survive a potential Julius Randle revenge game. But if they get through it with a winning record, it could set them up for a special season.
Timberwolves can turn their early homestand into a playoff advantage
The Wolves have started slowly over their first 20 games in each of the past two seasons, including a 10-10 record to begin the 2024-25 season and a 12-8 record last year. While neither of those starts was a death sentence to their championship hopes, they made them a lot more difficult when they got to the playoffs.
That’s something the Wolves were able to avoid during the 2023-24 season. After splitting their first four games to open the year, Minnesota went on a seven-game winning streak and won 10 of their next 11 games overall, leading to a 16-4 record after 20 games and a 24-7 record over their first 31 games.
The hot start had the Wolves in contention for the best record in the Western Conference throughout the year. While they were eventually passed by the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets, they also had home court advantage in the first round for just the third time in franchise history (2002-03, 2003-04). Most notably, it also helped the Wolves earn home court advantage in the Western Conference finals before they were bounced by the Mavericks, creating an even bigger incentive.
This was something the Timberwolves didn’t have over the past two seasons. Two years ago, the Wolves had to upset the Los Angeles Lakers and Warriors to reach the Western Conference finals. Last year’s playoffs may have also been different if Minnesota took care of business in the regular season, having to upset the Nuggets before falling to the Spurs in the semifinals.
The competition is difficult, but playing at Target Center creates an early advantage. If the Wolves can defend their home court, it could help build the chemistry that last year’s team was missing and also set them up for an easier path toward a championship when the playoffs arrive.
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