Minnesota Timberwolves fans have some proud moments to reflect upon in their 34-year history, mostly because of Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, but their red-hot start to the 2023-24 season puts into perspective just how far from the apex the franchise has been for all these years.
“In their previous 34 years of existence, the Timberwolves spent a grand total of 10 days as the outright No. 1 seed in the Western Conference,” Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic posted on X. “After beating Utah, the Wolves have been the outright No. 1 for 10 days THIS SEASON.”
That informative but cruel history lesson will hit longtime fans deep in their gut. Though, it should also allow them to truly appreciate the campaign Minnesota is putting together through almost the first quarter of the season.
Have Timberwolves truly entered a new era?
The team is not merely feasting on bottom dwellers like the aforementioned Utah Jazz, who it routinely dispatched of without All-Star Anthony Edwards (hip contusion). The Timberwolves have already defeated three of the four squads who competed in last postseason's conference finals round (Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics), proving they can stand toe-to-toe with the best the league has to offer.
Of course, the Wolves will have to consistently do it in the playoffs, but perhaps their 14-4 regular season record is a precursor to the franchise finally taking that next step. Edwards is embracing his role as the top guy, Rudy Gobert is clogging up the paint, as per usual, and Karl-Anthony Towns is playing at a high level on both ends of the floor. And one cannot overlook supporting players like Mike Conley Jr., Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Simply put, Chris Finch's squad is coming into its own in 2023. Injuries might slow Minnesota down, but the team is already doing plenty to push its checkered past further into irrelevance. Perhaps, this is just the first of many milestones to celebrate this season.
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