Minnesota didn’t have the best week, dropping two on the road before beating
Sacramento at home on Sunday. But that didn’t cause the folks at NBA.com to
panic and move the Wolves down.
The Wolves remained at No. 5 in the Week 18 NBA.com Power Rankings.
Here’s what our boy John Schuhmann wrote about the Wolves:
The Wolves have won 13 straight games at home, having allowed 104 points per 100
possessions in those 13 games. On the road, they’re 1-10 in 2018, having allowed
more than 115 points per 100 possessions in those games. Jimmy Butler totaled 73
points in Cleveland and Chicago on Wednesday and Friday, but Karl-Anthony Towns
didn’t get a lot of shots again, and getting stops down the stretch of those two
games proved to be a problem, with Butler fouling Zach LaVine for the
game-winning free throws in his return to Chicago and LeBron James beating them
at the buzzer in Cleveland. The Wolves have lost their last four games that have
been within five points in the last five minutes (all of them were on the road)
and now rank 28th in clutch defense.
Heading into All-Star break, Minnesota has two more home games, the Rockets on
Tuesday and the Lakers on Thursday. The Rockets (first in rankings) will be a
great measuring stick for the Wolves. Houston is just a half game back from
first in the West. The Lakers (19th) acquired Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye at
the trade deadline, and while the Wolves should win, it won’t be a walk in the
park.
The Wolves are 35-24 as of Monday, fourth in the West.
Media Content: http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/wolves-no-5-nbacom-power-rankings
Media Keywords: NBA, Sports, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Los
Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves
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Taxonomy: Power Rankings
Story Link: http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/wolves-no-5-nbacom-power-rankings
