The Timberwolves are a sleeping giant and they could shock the world (again)

Despite a promising 15-8 start (53-win pace) and two straight conference finals runs, it seems like nobody is talking about the Minnesota Timberwolves' contention chances. The Wolves are even on a five-game win streak and have gotten little praise for this.

I get it, I really do, the Western Conference features a juggernaut 23-1 Oklahoma City Thunder team. Frankly, it's possible that no team can beat them. Additionally, the Wolves' bench depth, especially guard depth, is a real problem, and they haven't fared well in clutch time this year.

Now that I've laid out the (valid) concerns with the Wolves' status as contenders, allow me to retort. This core made the conference finals last year with an aging and not super productive Mike Conley. There are a few teams in the league that can match the Wolves' two-way balance and star power. And let us not forget this roster isn't finalized, the Wolves could still very well make a trade for a point guard.

The Thunder should undoubtedly be the favorites in the West. But when discussing teams capable of making a deep postseason run, the Wolves have to be in the conversation.

The Wolves are positioned for another deep playoff run

Listen, I've had my doubts about the Wolves' ability to make another deep playoff run. In a loaded Western Conference, I think that's natural. However, one thing that has always kept me optimistic is the Wolves' two-way balance.

Per Cleaning the Glass (which filters out garbage time), the Wolves are one of five teams with a top-10 offense and defense. Minnesota has the sixth-ranked offense and 10th-ranked defense. The Thunder and Houston Rockets are the only other two teams in the West with this claim. In recent history, this has been the mark of true title contenders.

The Wolves have been able to accomplish this while their defense hasn't lived up to their elite standards. Sure, you could argue that's a concern. However, with Rudy Gobert, this general range is the Wolves' floor. The Wolves also have the defensive infrastructure to shoot up the ranks; they were the sixth-ranked defense last year and the first two seasons ago.

Say what you will about the Wolves' defense, but their offense has clearly improved. Their sixth-ranked offense is the best in the Anthony Edwards era. Julius Randle being more comfortable in his second season with the team, Jaden McDaniels having a breakout season, and Edwards' own improvements are key reasons for the Wolves' success.

To me, the Jaden piece is the most crucial. During the Wolves' past two conference finals runs, they didn't have a dependable third option or tertiary creator — now they do with McDaniels. This, paired with the star power of Edwards and Randle, sets the Wolves up nicely for another deep run.

Nobody predicted the Wolves to make the conference finals the past two seasons. This was despite them being the No. 3 seed in 2024. The Wolves are being doubted again, and don't be surprised if they silence their doubters for a third straight year. Their roster is more than capable of doing so.

No team is perfect (other than the Thunder)

I'm not saying you can't point out flaws with the Wolves; you absolutely can. But you also can with every team, excluding the Thunder.

Can the Los Angeles Lakers' and Denver Nuggets' defense hold up? Admittedly, I have more questions about the former than the latter, but still. Are the San Antonio Spurs too young for a deep playoff run? I think so. Is this it for the Golden State Warriors? With all due respect to the great Steph Curry, I think so. Can the Rockets make a deep playoff run despite not having much experience with this core? It's possible but not guaranteed.

Yes, the Wolves could use a point guard upgrade but they very well could make a trade. To me, it's hard to ignore their two-way balance, star power, and experience. Nonetheless, people are doing just that.

When it's all said and done, the Wolves could be primed for another deep playoff run. While this may surprise many people in the NBA community, it shouldn't.