After Topping Lakers, Wolves Will At Least Make Play-In Tournament
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- After a 20-point win over the struggling Lakers Wednesday night, the Timberwolves have ensured they'll be playing beyond the regular season.
While they haven't clinched a playoff spot yet, the Wolves will at worst make the play-in tournament. For those unaware, the tournament is a recent addition to the league's postseason. Four teams from each conference -- the seventh through 10th best by win percentage -- compete for the final two playoff spots. After the tournament, the NBA playoffs continue as normal.
The Wolves currently hold the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 41-30 record. Wednesday's win ensures they can fall no farther than 10th. The Lakers are the ninth seed right now, at 29-40. It's possible the two teams meet again in the play-in.
The Wolves still have a shot at avoiding the play-in entirely. The sixth-seeded Denver Nuggets are just 42-28, and the four and five seeds -- Dallas and Utah -- are both 43-26.
Since the All-Star break, the Wolves have been one of the hottest teams in the league, going 10-2 in the past 12 games.
Still, seven of the Wolves' 11 remaining games are against teams currently in playoff position, including one against the Nuggets and two against the Mavericks.
If the Wolves make it out of the play-in, or clinch a top six seed outright, it would be just the second playoff appearance for the team since 2004.
The play-in tournament will take place April 12-15. The playoffs start April 16.