With their fate all but sealed, the Wolves have a decision to make.
NBA Quarterly Report
For the first time in years, I don’t have much to say about the Minnesota Timberwolves. I make it a point to keep this site positive, so what is there to really say? It seems for months now that Timberwolves games have one of two outcomes: Get blown out from start to finish, or hang tough through the first three quarters and then implode. The nights that come up with a third option, a Timberwolves victory, are few and far between.
At this point, it’s safe to say that the season is lost. The only thing the Minnesota Timberwolves have to play for is pride or ping-pong balls. The problem is that, on any given night, you can only have one or the other. This has managed to put the Timberwolves nation in an extremely awkward position. Do we give everything we have to achieve a moral victory, or do we regroup and put ourselves in position to one day attain a real one?
I don’t have all the answers, but I do know this – we’ve got a lot of potential on this team. Marcus Banks, Rashad McCants, Justin Reed: Those are three guys who, with a little bit of development, can play a major role in giving Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise their first title. With a nice trade and a good free-agent signing, this team could be back in the hunt next season. And our draft pick, whether it’s number five or number eight, is still going to land us a quality player if we draft well.
So my suggestion: If we’re going down, then we might as well go down swinging. The future’s going to happen whether or not you step it up each night. If we develop and winning mentality to end the year, get our young guys some experience, and start to turn this team around, things are only going to get better from here. And who knows? Maybe if we catch the Spurs with a right hook this season, everyone will think twice about stepping into the right with the Wolves next year.
Predictions:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division:
1. New Jersey
2. Philadelphia
3. Boston
4. Toronto
5. New York
Central Division:
1. Detroit
2. Cleveland
3. Indiana
4. Milwaukee
5. Chicago
Southeast Division
1. Miami
2. Washington
3. Orlando
4. Atlanta
5. Charlotte
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Northwest Division
1. Denver
2. Utah
3. Minnesota
4. Seattle
5. Portland
Pacific Division
1. Phoenix
2. Los Angeles Clippers
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Sacramento
5. Golden State
Southwest Division
1. San Antonio
2. Dallas
3. Memphis
4. New Orleans
5. Houston
PLAYOFFS:
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
1. Detroit
2. Miami
3. New Jersey
4. Cleveland
5. Indiana
6. Washington
7. Milwaukee
8. Philadelphia
First Round:
Detroit over Philadelphia
Miami over Milwaukee
New Jersey over Washington
Indiana over Cleveland
Conference Semifinals:
Detroit over Indiana
Miami over New Jersey
Conference Finals:
Detroit over Miami
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
1. San Antonio
2. Phoenix
3. Denver
4. Dallas
5. Los Angeles Clippers
6. Memphis
7. Los Angeles Lakers
8. Sacramento
First Round:
San Antonio over Sacramento
Phoenix over Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis over Denver
Dallas over Los Angeles Clippers
Conference Semifinals:
Dallas over San Antonio
Phoenix over Memphis
Conference Finals:
Phoenix over Dallas
NBA FINALS:
Detroit over Phoenix
