As we look to the Minnesota Timberwolves' road ahead in the playoffs, many Wolves fans are probably just hoping their team will be in the playoffs at this point. Minnesota has dropped four of its last five, falling to eighth in the standings and putting themselves at risk of being in a tough spot should they end up in the play-in range.
This is unfortunately what will happen when you are unable to close out so many clutch contests night after night. Minnesota has played in the most clutch games of any NBA team this season, and they have had a real rough go at things when things get close in the final minutes. Anthony Edwards is still one of the best players in the association, and he will always give the Wolves a chance. But even his struggles have been concerning.
But should Minnesota clinch a playoff spot, there is a lot to consider when talking playoff matchups. Obviously, the Timberwolves have shown that they have the raw talent to take down any team when fully healthy. That is why fans should likely feel a sense of optimism even given the team's recent struggles. But Minnesota's style and what they play well and poorly against should also alter what we believe to be their best and worst matchups.
The Timberwolves' worst playoff matchup is Houston
Some would say that the Timberwolves' worst matchup is every other team's worst matchup: The Oklahoma City Thunder. I would actually disagree with this sentiment, seeing how the Wolves match up fairly evenly with the 60-win squad and how they took two of four games against their conference rival this season. My vote for Minnesota's worst matchup? The Houston Rockets.
Many are of the belief that the Wolves would excel against a younger squad with no playoff experience under its belt. But what the two losses to the Indiana Pacers in the last 10 days showed us is that Minnesota has a particularly hard time defending teams that play fast and push in transition. With Tyrese Haliburton leading the way, Indiana loves to bring the ball up the floor and go right into attacking the rim, not taking the time to set anything up. This routinely burned the Timberwolves in those two losses.
The Rockets are uniquely equipped to play a similar fast style with their athletic wings and guards. As of this writing, they rank fourth in the NBA in fast break points per game with 13.7 a night. Houston may look like an easy target that is over-seeded on paper, but they are unquestionably built to defeat Minnesota.
Again, the Timberwolves can beat anyone on any night playing at their best. But if they expect they can beat the Rockets while making as many mistakes as they made against Indiana, they can expect to go home in round one.