On the way to the NBA season 2025-26, the Minnesota Timberwolves are considered one of the better teams in the competition. However, they are still seen as a notch under the best in the West. With the Oklahoma City Thunder, the title defender, together with the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets, improved during the low season, this point of view is understandable.
Anyway, the wolves should not be eliminated as title candidates. Minnesota has made back-to-back conference final runs, and Anthony Edwards still has to reach his peak at the age of 24. Moreover, there is a recent precedent for teams that runs a surprise final. In the past three seasons, the Miami Heat made the final as an eight seed, the Dallas Mavericks as a five seed, and the Indiana Pacers as a four seed, in which a 60-win Cleveland Cavaliers team was removed in the process.
While the Thunder, Rockets and Nuggets are currently being seen as a layer above the wolves, Minnesota may continue to continue this trend of surprise final. The wolves undoubtedly check many boxes to make a surprise run.
The Timberwolves have the PlayOFF experience that is needed to run a final
The first common thread for these three teams is a certain degree of Playoff experience. Before their magical 2023 finals, the heat had reached the final in 2020 and the final of the conference in 2022. The Mavericks led by Luka Dončić had made a conference final in 2021 before their 2024 final appearance appeared. While everyone exerts them, the Pacers had reached the final of the conference in 2024 before their incredible finals were walking last year.
While the MAVs were led by a younger star with a history of elite play -off play, and they are from the Western Conference, this is the clearest comparison for the wolves. Yet all these teams must give the Wolves hope. After back-to-back finals of the conference, the Wolves have the play-off experience needed to make the first final of the franchise.
The Timberwolves were built for a deep play -off run
Star -game is needed to run a final and Edwards is one of the five to seven best players in the competition. Before his career, Edwards has an average of 26.9 points in the Play -offs and he brought down some of the best stars in the competition. Ant has Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokić, LeBron James and Dončić defeated, an underdog in many of these series.
Of course Edwards and the wolves still have to beat the defending champion in the play -offs. Nevertheless, the wolves have previously shocked the NBA world; Why can’t they do it again?
An elite co-star is another ingredient that is needed to make a deep play-off run, and Julius Randle is exactly that for the wolves. Randle on average 21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists in the play -offs. He is more than able to be a second option in a team at championship level.
As a team that is in the top 10 of both sides of the ball last season, the Wolves have the balance that are needed to succeed in the largest stage. Edwards and Randle mainly lead the attack, while Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels anchor an elite defense. Plus, with Naz Reid and Donte Divincenzo from the bank, has a large depth.
The wolves will certainly count on some of their young players to develop, and they should not be title favorites. However, if the recent history has taught us something, it is expected that a final can set up for the wolves.
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