The Western Conference standings are tight. Not long ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves won five in a row and were up to third in the standings. Now with losses in their last three games, they sit in sixth and just 1.5 games ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who occupy a play-in position.Â
Losing streaks happen over an 82-game season, but the Wolves haven’t even been competitive during theirs. A 25-point loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, in which they gave up 153 points, surely makes it seem like Minnesota has reached a new low point this season.
Ugly losses galore
The Timberwolves rank ninth in defensive rating this year. On Wednesday night, they didn’t resemble anything close to a top-10 defensive unit. The Clippers shot a ridiculous 63.4 percent from the field and 51.4 percent on threes in what was an embarrassing defensive performance by Minnesota.
The Wolves have now lost their last three games by 25, 14, and 27 points. That’s 22 points per outing they have been outscored by. Yes, prior to that was a five-game win streak, but each win was by single digits.
You have to go back more than a month to find a time that Minnesota lost in a close game. They lost by 27 points to the Philadelphia 76ers on February 22. They fell by 19 points to the Los Angeles Clippers in February. Their last close defeat came on February 6 when they were outscored by four against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The loss at the hands of the Clippers marked the 13th time that they have lost by double digits this season. In the previous two years, which both culminated in conference finals appearances, the Timberwolves lost nine contests by 10-plus in 2024-25 and 10 in 2023-24. There are still 16 regular season games remaining for their number to increase this season.Â
Timberwolves need to get right before the playoffs
In the first two losses, the Wolves' lack of ball movement and offensive execution hurt them. However, as noted, the Clippers game was all about their defense. The Wolves have displayed inconsistent play on both ends of the floor this season, and things are starting to spiral in a way that fans always feared.
As the Wolves are fighting for a top-four seed, this couldn't have come at a worse time.
According to Tankathon, the Wolves have the eighth-hardest remaining schedule as the opposition has a combined .527 winning percentage. Minnesota still has a game remaining against the team with the best record in the NBA (Oklahoma City Thunder) and three combined against the top two teams in the Eastern Conference (one against the Detroit Pistons, two against the Boston Celtics).
The Timberwolves also have nine games left on the road, compared to seven at home. Minnesota's next opportunity to get right comes Friday night in an away game against the Golden State Warriors, minus Steph Curry.