After Wednesday, the possibility of the one seed is more of a hope than a certainty, as the Nuggets have upcoming matches against the struggling Spurs and Grizzlies.
They are no longer in control of securing the top spot in the conference, as Denver can secure it by winning their last two games.
The Timberwolves have high hopes that Karl-Anthony Towns will be back in action this upcoming weekend, as he prepares for a potential playoff appearance. Not only that, but they are also optimistic that Towns’ return could have a significant impact in a potential series against the Denver Nuggets in the future.
It appeared that the Wolves were shifting their focus towards this issue, with a few players beginning to talk about the different tiebreaker possibilities with the teams near them.
There are still two games remaining with a lot at stake, despite a tougher road to securing the top spot. If the Wolves win against Atlanta on Friday and Phoenix on Sunday, they will secure the No. 2 seed. Moreover, they would have the advantage in head-to-head tiebreakers against Oklahoma City and in their record within the conference.
A teammate was informed by one player that securing the No. 3 spot in the rankings would not be the end of the world. This is because the Wolves would have knowledge of their first-round opponent when the season concludes on Sunday, giving them a whole week to ready themselves. However, if their rival is decided through a play-in match as the No. 1 or 2 seed, the time to prepare would be reduced.
“I would really like to secure the top seed, I must admit,” expressed Conley. “However, I also mentioned that the seeding does not determine the tough competition we will face in the first round. Having a higher seed does not make it a better one. Our focus is to play our best basketball, and tonight’s game served as a great test at a playoff level. We will continue to push forward.”
According to Edwards, having him on the team would greatly benefit everyone as he consistently scores 25 points each game without difficulty. This takes some pressure off the rest of the team and also adds a valuable defensive presence, especially when guarding players like Jokic. He is crucial to our success.
If the Wolves are victorious in both matches and both Denver and Oklahoma City suffer a loss, they would secure the top seed. However, if all three teams are tied, the Thunder would come in first and the Wolves would take second place, determined by their respective head-to-head records (with the Thunder winning 3 out of 4 games against Denver and the Wolves winning 2 out of 4 games against both teams).
The chances of facing Denver in the conference finals have decreased. The Wolves will have to endure two tough battles to advance to the finals, regardless of their ranking.
Gobert stated that the NBA playoffs will essentially be a fresh start for the teams. He expressed his pride in the team’s performance throughout the entire season, even in the face of challenges, and now they will focus on getting ready for the upcoming playoffs.
However, by having the second seed, the Wolves would have the opportunity to play on their home court during a potential second round matchup against the Thunder.
However, even though it may have been disappointing at the time, the Timberwolves did not appear too downtrodden in the dressing room following their loss on Wednesday. According to Anthony Edwards, the team was invested in the game beforehand, but after losing, their level of concern decreased. Mike Conley also pointed out that regardless of their ranking, a first-round match would be challenging.
It appeared to be the sentiment expressed in the Wolves’ locker room following the event.
The outcome of the Timberwolves’ playoff chances became more evident following their defeat of 116-107 to Denver on Wednesday evening.
Rudy Gobert expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance during the regular season, regardless of the Wolves’ final standing. He also acknowledged the need to move forward as a new season begins.
