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The Minnesota Timberwolves are relying on added continuity to deliver a special consequence following a disappointing 2022-23 season.
Minnesota executed what was arguably essentially the most eye-popping commerce of the 2022 offseason when it acquired Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz and parted ways with 4 future first-round picks and 2022 first-rounder Walker Kessler.
Gobert’s arrival didn’t have its supposed effect because the Wolves received 4 fewer games and have been once once more eradicated within the first spherical of the playoffs.
The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski reported in June the organization wasn’t going to do something drastic in response to falling properly short of expectations. Head coach Chris Finch and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly are reportedly assured “a full summer season and training camp collectively, and improved well being from [Karl-Anthony] Towns and Gobert, will be enough to solve some of the offensive issues the team had last season.”
Anthony Edwards additionally cemented his cornerstone status after averaging 31.6 points and 5.2 assists throughout Minnesota’s transient postseason run. He agreed to a five-year, $205.9 million max extension this summer.
If Edwards has yet another stage to his sport whereas Towns and Gobert forge a more cohesive partnership within the frontcourt, then the Timberwolves will wind up silencing their variety of skeptics.
Here’s a take a look at their regular-season schedule and a brief preview for the 12 months ahead.
2023-24 Timberwolves Schedule Details
Season Opener: Wednesday, Oct. 25 at Toronto Raptors (7:30 p.m. ET)
Championship Odds: +8500 (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook)
Full Schedule: The full schedule is on the market on NBA.com
4+ hours of cleanup for 4 minutes of content.<br><br>take pleasure in your 23-24 schedule release, Wolves fans. <a href=”https://t.co/e8qJhcovBd”>pic.twitter.com/e8qJhcovBd</a>
Top Matchups
Denver Nuggets
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The Timberwolves shall be out to prove some extent after the Denver Nuggets were responsible for eliminating them in the first round. Also, what better way is there to indicate you’re a real contender within the regular season than besting the reigning NBA champions.
Reflecting on the 2023 postseason, Bruce Brown Jr. stated on Run Your Race that Minnesota offered the Nuggets with their “toughest sequence.”
Denver’s gamers may need an added edge in opposition to Minnesota as nicely due to some feedback by Towns. The three-time All-Star attempted to argue the Wolves getting out of the play-in match in 2021-22 was “extra special” from a narrative standpoint than the Nuggets’ title triumph a season later.
KAT believes the Timberwolves run with Pat Bev was more special than the Nuggets championship run <br><br>(h/t <a href=”https://twitter.com/StevenFerraro7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@StevenFerraro7</a> / through <a href=”https://twitter.com/PatBevPod?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@PatBevPod</a> ) <a href=”https://t.co/WfUJBTvQqz”>pic.twitter.com/WfUJBTvQqz</a>
In basic, Denver will serve as a pleasant barometer for the amount of progress — or lack thereof — the Timberwolves have made since last season.
Dallas Mavericks
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Of the five teams within the Western Conference that completed below a play-in event position, the Dallas Mavericks are the likeliest candidates to maneuver up into the top 10 in 2023-24.
Dallas will have the providers of Kyrie Irving for a full season. Grant Williams provides some much-needed protection and floor-spacing. Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper should both be capable of meaningfully contribute as rookies.
Not to mention, this could probably be the second when Luka Dončić goes from MVP contender to MVP winner as he set career highs in factors (32.4) and field-goal proportion (49.6) in 2022-23.
The Mavericks nonetheless have some obvious flaws, however they’re stronger now than after they ended the 2022-23 season. That ought to put them in direct opposition with Minnesota in the midst of the West.
Season Forecast
One obvious supply of encouragement for the Timberwolves is that they managed to have a successful document despite Towns being restricted to 29 video games. Because of that, it is powerful to learn something into the very fact the group only had a zero.6 net score with Towns and Gobert on the court collectively, per NBA.com.
Having Mike Conley for all 82 video games should assist as well. He averaged 14 points and 5 assists whereas capturing 42 percent from past the arc after landing in Minneapolis. Even though he’s past his prime, Conley is a greater fit than D’Angelo Russell was for this roster.
Minnesota’s fortunes on the courtroom ought to improve; how a lot is the million-dollar question.
Forty-four wins was sufficient to claim the sixth seed in the West, and the level of competition is about the identical. Winning two more video games — or even matching its 46-36 record from 2021-22 — is an affordable target.
Record Prediction: 46-36
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