Are the Cavaliers and Warriors the Only NBA Teams with Hope for Next Season? No. There is Another.
This NBA offseason has been far more compelling than this year's playoffs. Unfortunately for most teams, all of their hard work is tantamount to shuffling the chairs on the deck of the Titanic. There are only two teams who have any real hope of making it to the 2018 NBA Finals. Those teams are of course the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, there is a third team who may have a season that actually matters.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://thefourpointplayaus.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/nba-map.jpg?w=640)
Three of the locations on this map may actually be happy next June.
Some may argue that fans of the Celtics, Thunder, Rockets, and Spurs may be able to convince themselves that their team has a legitimate chance to make the finals... but unless LeBron gets injured or the Warriors' team bus crashes, they are fooling themselves. Although they might still enjoy watching their team in the regular season, come June they will be sitting at home frustrated and watching the Warriors defeat the Cavaliers once again.
Surprisingly, there is a third fan base who might actually be happy come June. Even though their team will have long been eliminated from the playoffs, they will be able to look back at the season as a success.
That team is the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Please don't get me wrong. I do not believe for one second the Timberwolves will challenge the Warriors for the top spot in the West. I do think they can give their fans something they have not had in 13 years... an opportunity to attend a playoff game.
For the teams mentioned above, just making the playoffs is not a big deal. They are all expected to make the playoffs. Most of them have made the playoffs for many years in a row. Three of those teams have multiple championships and the other made it to the NBA Finals in 2012. So when they are eliminated from the playoffs, their fans will feel disappointment.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://media.balls.ie/uploads/2012/05/celtics-cry-baby.jpg)
Wah! My team got my hopes up! Wah!
But I predict that the Timberwolves are going to do something they have only done twice in their 28 year history. They will accomplish something they haven't in 13 years. The Minnesota Timberwolves are going to win a playoff series next year. There fans should be ecstatic!
The Timberwolves may have had the best offseason of any team. They added a legit superstar in Jimmy Butler, picked up a solid defense-first veteran in Taj Gibson, essentially flipped Ricky Rubio for Jeff Teague and a future first round draft pick and signed one of the best bench scorers of the past ten years (perhaps the best) in Jamal Crawford.
These players were added to a core that already includes two budding starts in versatile big man Karl Anthony Towns and a long defensive wing in Andrew Wiggins who were the number one over-all pick in the draft in 2015 and 2014 respectively.
Their team is now incredibly deep. The pretenders in the West should be very worried.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://hoopshabit.com/files/2016/09/8990956-andrew-wiggins-karl-anthony-towns-nba-los-angeles-clippers-minnesota-timberwolves.jpg)
Whooo! We got Butler, Teague, Gibson and Crawford!
Although those acquisitions are quite impressive, the number one reason I am confident that Minnesota will win a playoff series is their coach Tom Thibodeau.
I was a Bulls season ticket holder for each of Thibodeau's five seasons as the coach of the Bulls. During that time, the one thing I learned is that he is freaking crazy.
He has an unnatural desire to win not only every game but every possession of every game. It is a mania. He has never been married. He has no children. Basketball is his life. Even though this mania eventually cost the Bulls dearly by putting too much strain on his players' bodies, his teams always had a chance to win on any given night. He valued regular season wins more than any other coach I have ever seen. He would rather play his star player the last two minutes in a game with his team leading by 14 than risk losing a regular season game. As a result, he burned out Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and Derek Rose.
But overplaying those guys was not his fault. When he had a bench filled with players he trusted, he had one of the best rotations in the league. In 2010-2011 when the Bulls won 62 games and made it to the Conference Finals, his "bench mob" was the best in the league. Unfortunately, the front office dismantled that weapon and left him with no choice but to run his players into the ground in an attempt to win every regular season game. And it worked. He got more out of undermanned teams than anyone I have ever seen. In 2015, instead of giving him a bench, the Bulls fired Thibodeau. After sitting out the 2015-2016 (and getting paid by the Bulls.. one last F.U. to the organization) Thibs was hired as the coach and GM of the Timberwolves.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/tom-thibodeau.jpg)
There are 8 seconds left and we are up 17 but you didn't get back on defense! I'm going to eat your soul!
In just over one year, Thibs made more excellent acquisitions than the Bulls have in the past 15 years combined. Thibs isn't changing. He's not going to ever accept losing a regular season game. So he did the smart thing. He gave himself a bench. He does not have to kill his young stars now.
He also added his two favorite players from his Chicago days: Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson. They know his defensive system (which is all that really matters). They share his desire to win every possession. They are the leaders the young players on the Wolves need. If one of those youngg players fails to get back on "D" or misses an assignment... they are dead. They will learn to defend or they will sit. Thibs doesn't mess around. Now he has players in his locker room to back him up.
I anticipate the Wolves starting lineup will look something like this:
C Towns
PF Gibson
SF Wiggins
SG Butler
PG Teague
That lineup has three lockdown defenders in Gibson, Wiggins and Butler along with an athletic big who Thibs will coach up to become a defensive force (Joakim Noah won defensive player of the year under Thibs... and he did it with no real talent). In addition, Butler, Wiggins and Towns can all score.
If Thibs runs things the way he did in Chicago, when it comes time to rest his starters, I expect him to leave Butler on the floor with four bench players.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://dunkingwithwolves.com/files/2016/09/9073514-nikola-pekovic-ryan-hollins-nba-memphis-grizzlies-minnesota-timberwolves.jpg)
Sadly, due to injury, Superman's enemy Non will not be on the team next season.
In that lineup, I would actually expect Butler to run "the point" with Jamal Crawford playing off the ball. That leaves three from a very deep mix of Dieng, Payne, Casspi, Aldrich, Bjelica, Patton (my gosh he has a lot of big players), and Rush. None of this even includes minutes for PG Tyus Jones. Thibs has proven over and over that he can take small point guards and get them PAID (see John Lucas III, Nate Robinson, D.J. Augustin, Aaron Brooks). Can he do the same for Jones? Why not?
I also would not rule out one more addition to the roster. Rajan Rondo, who played for Thibs when he was the defensive coach for the Celtics, was released by the Bulls. Perhaps he could sign with Minnesota to further solidify their bench.
I think this is the perfect recipe for the Timberwolves to finish with the second best record in the West.
But that does not mean I believe they will be the second best team. Other teams will be better... but they won't try to win every single game the way the Wolves will. Therefore, Minnesota could very well end up the number two seed with home court advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs. If that happens, they will play the seventh best team in the conference. That scenario should result in the Timberwolves' first playoff series win since 2004.
![kevin-garnett_wolves-kings_game-7_051904.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUrC6D35bAaJ1v3yQkv1UkYdsU2WKG9BMCdWNdBHP44xU/kevin-garnett_wolves-kings_game-7_051904.jpg)
Color photography had not been invented before the Timberwolves last playoff series win.
Even though the best the Wolves can hope for is playing until May, a playoff series win will mean a tremendous amount to a fan base who has suffered through watching some of the hottest garbage on the court for the last 13 years.
I doubt I will be watching many Bulls games next year... but I will do my best to catch a few Timberwolves games.
Maybe the heat will light back up that flame lol. LETS GO!
Not sure if Olynyk is enough to push them over the hump but just about anyone can make it to the Eastern Conference finals, especially if the Celtics have any injuries.
I think it's a tad early to crown the Timberwolves the prince of the West, but they certainly have an exciting team with a good mix of youth and experience. I still don't think they're good enough to beat the Warriors, Spurs, or Rockets in a 7 game series, but they're definitely in the mix for that 4 seed with OKC. Should be an exciting year for Minnesota.
Agreed. I just think they can have the 2nd beat regular season record (because their coach is a maniac) but I don't think they can beat the teams with multiple stars in the playoffs. But winning one round is a big deal for them.
I've been saying that the Wolves won the offseason as well! I am SUPER excited for them, especially because I believe they most definitely will be a playoff team. However, I can't say they'll be a top 2 or 3 seed. I think they can achieve home court advantage in the 1st round (being a 4th seed) but it's a stretch for anything more than that. What I WILL say is that NO ONE is going to look forward to playing the Wolves...especially in a 7 game series. Thibs will have this team being the toughest and most ferocious group of guys we've seen in a while (imo).
MAN, I just can't wait for the season to start.
LETS GOOOOO.
Yeah I am really excited for wolves fans. I think I am becoming on honorary member. I have seen thibs do crazy things in the regular season with an undermanned roster. Those others teams will rest during the regular season... the wolves won't do they can pick up 5 games on the better teams just based on that alone.
Valid point!
And last year they dang near set a record for losing close games, haha. If they can fix that, which I think they will finally, that's another 5 games maybe (even if they had the SAME roster as last year).
In short, the Wolves got a lot of things going for them.
I think everyone knows deep down the answer to your question in the title is "yes".
So, the article (while well-written and appreciated) is pointless. ;)
LOL. Well it all depends on your definition of "hope". Hope to win the championship? No chance. Hope to win their first playoff series in 13 year? I think so. I think the NBA has become ridiculously boring with no parody at all. So finding any team outside of Golden State that can actually feel good at the end of the year is really tough.
Totally agree. The 90s it was the Bulls, the 2000s were the Lakers and Spurs, now it's the Warriors and Cavs...ironically two of the worst teams in the league the last 25 years.
Good point. It's amazing that golden state has risen. They had a brief flash with "run tmc" but that was broken up pretty quickly.
I was ready to blow off the notion of the Wolves as the second best in the West - now I am at least considering it.
The Spurs and Twolves games are going to be fun to watch for the constant chess strrategy. Second in the West probably comes down to those two.
Good call. I can't wait to see what Pop does. Although he could just sit all of his guys and list the reason as "old". that was hilarious when he did that!
One of the best memes I've seen in a while. I don't know why...but I cracked up hahahahaha. Thanks for sharing.
Lol, you're quite welcome.
outstanding thoughts shared. keep it up dude!
@hanshotfirst - I feel for the Bulls! With my affinity to Chicago, they will always remain close to my heart. It is unfortunate that their coach has burned out their best players. Guess he did not have much choice with all the upheavals that had gone on. I believe that your argument in favor of Minnesota Timberwolves being a strong contender are quite logical. Time will tell who makes it to the playoffs. Will be interesting to wait and see.
Thanks for your article with such acute analysis. Upvoted
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Yeah... it will be a long time before the Bulls will be watchable.
I think Cavs and Warriors are only contenders this season. Timberwolves is building up but still not even close to their level. Still, this could be an interesting season
Oh yeah. They wouldn't stand a chance against the Warriors. I just think their fans may finally have something to cheer about for the first time in many years.
Boston Celtics addition of Hayward and Morris is an excellent move. They will definitely stay on Eastern top 1-2 position.
Minnesota addition of matured player like Butler, Gibson and Teague to support the youngters will help them past the second round.
San Antonio is always there to break any forecast if they stay healthy.
Follow me @Yehey
What do you think of the Celtics losing Bradley, though?
Kyrie has been on record saying that Avery is the best 1-on-1 defender he's ever faced.
That was a big loss. Actually very underrated how big it was. And they will most likely lose crowder. They took a big step forward offensively but I step back on d. Personally I don't think it matters. Lebron will be in the finals every year he's in the NBA. They make way too much money off of his presence.
Yeah, but at least they put themselves in a good position to take advantage of any injuries that the Cavs might have. At full strength, I suspect Lebron in the East to be in the finals for the next 3 years at least.
I agree with your analysis. A lot will depend on injuries.
Yesss as I was slowly reading and scrolling down I was hoping to see it be the T-wolves, or maybe I just already knew that in my head that they are going to be nasty this year!
They will be fun to watch! And they are one of the few teams where this season matters. In three years the warriors may not be intact. The wolves should be outstanding by then.