After Memphis Loss, Timberwolves Need Sense Of Urgency
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves don't have the same luxury as the Minnesota Wild.
After Monday night, the urgency to just get in the NBA Playoffs is back. That's after losing to Memphis, one of the worst teams in the NBA. And with another lousy team coming to town Thursday night in the Atlanta Hawks.
But at practice on Tuesday, there was a sign of hope.
The Timberwolves were reminded Monday night they are not a heavyweight, and they're not a shoe-in for the postseason. So that's how they best approach it.
"You know we just want to make it. Right now we have a lot of teams fighting to make it," Andrew Wiggins said. "And we're one of the teams fighting. Seeding and all that stuff, we're just trying to make it."
For a head coach it's disturbing. They key is not to let it get overwhelming.
"You're facing a guy like (Marc) Gasol who has a lot of pride and the physicality we didn't do a good job with," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said.
The closest thing to good news Tuesday was that Jimmy Butler was back at practice. He's not allowed to take part in the contact drills, but still, back at practice.
The visual of him shooting and workout out at least breathes a little hope, but he's still not game ready.
"Once he's cleared by the doctors for contact there's still another step after that," Thibodeau said. "As I told him, this is big picture. When you're ready to go, then you go."
It looks like they could use him.