13th in the West...

[AbeVigodaLive]

I know... I know... the season is only 1/4 of the way through or whatever...

But, it's troubling. With the onslaught of tough games ahead, the team is hoping to tread water for the next 10 or so games.

That will probably keep them at 12th or 13th in the conference after about 30 games. I know people will point to "but they're only (x) games out of a playoff spot." The problem is the Wolves will have to hope for several teams to suddenly start faltering.

I can see it happening to one. Or maybe two. But 4? Or 5?

The next 10 games or so will determine the team's fate.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Yeah, I don't like 13th in the West. But on the other hand, we're only 1 1/2 games out of a 7th seed, and only 3 1/2 out of a first round home game. The next 10 games will be brutal, but as several have pointed out the schedule really softens in late December through January, and we should make a major run then. I'm heartened by a strong showing last night in the second half of a BTB against a red-hot Durant. As you said, Abe, let's tread water the next 10, and then start our run.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

If we go 0-10 or 1-9, then yeah, it's a pretty big hole that we start digging ourselves. I'm hoping we can get 4 wins. That puts us a few games beneath .500, which certainly doesn't feel good in the moment, but then we can really begin to make up significant ground over the next 13 games.

[TAFKASP]

What do the next ten games matter? So the Wolves face tough teams consecutively, the competition also will face those same teams, maybe not all grouped together, but they will. I think it is beyond unreasonable to suggest the season will be made or broken over such a stretch early in the season. But then I guess that comes with being a Minnesota sports fan, we've come to expect the worst, even exaggerate it a bit.

The Wolves will make the playoffs, but unless they get hot and stay hot shooting the ball they will do little in them.

[thedoper]

I wish we were better off right now mostly because of the possibilities of injuries moving forward. I think we have to expect that someone will go down for a bit of time this season. We still seem thin as it is, one injury could really make this team brutal for a stretch.

[KiwiMatt]

The problem is the Eastern teams. A .500 record gets you the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference, where as in the West it makes you a 12th seed.

If Minnesota were in the East (which they geographically should be) we would be 4th on the ladder. Western teams are continually beating the Eastern teams, where as we are dropping a few to them.

It's about time the NBA did something about balancing the conferences. It's just embarrassing this season.

[Porckchop]

You point out that the Wolves belong in the East and they'd be better off, but then point out that while the rest of the west is beating those guys the Wolves are losing to them. So how would they be better off there? The Wolves have been equal opportunity when it comes to losing games

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

You point out that the Wolves belong in the East and they'd be better off, but then point out that while the rest of the west is beating those guys the Wolves are losing to them. So how would they be better off there? The Wolves have been equal opportunity when it comes to losing games

Ehh. Think we got fucked over on the schedule so far. I'd be willing to bet almost every game we've lost has been on a back to back.

Exceptions: Golden State, Denver, Washington, Indy, Denver.

The other 5 have been games where we had a lead at some point in the second half, but blew it due to fatigue and mental errors.

Give it time. We'll know exactly what we have after the next 25 games or so as the schedule comes back down in terms of difficulty.

[KiwiMatt]

You point out that the Wolves belong in the East and they'd be better off, but then point out that while the rest of the west is beating those guys the Wolves are losing to them. So how would they be better off there? The Wolves have been equal opportunity when it comes to losing games

Well we'd be playing more East teams as opposed to West teams. But yes we have dropped a couple of games to Eastern teams that we should have won (Washington, Cleveland) and as Cam pointed out the schedule hasn't helped.

[Lipoli390]

Yes, the schedule has been tough. But consider this.

1. Portland beat a great Indiana Pacer team tonight the day after beating the Lakers in LA. The Blazers beat the Bulls at home on Nov. 22 and the next night beat a very good Golden State team on the road by 12 points. The Blazers opened the season beating Denver on the road and the next night Portland beat the Spurs.

2. The Warriors are ahead of the Wolves in spite of losing a key starter, Iggy.

3. The Nuggets are ahead of the Wolves even though their best shooter is still out with an ACL injury, while at the same time they lost both Iggy and their head coach George Karl over the summer.

4. Lakers are ahead of the Wolves even with Kobe out all season so far and Nash playing very little and playing hurt.

5. Memphis is ahead of the Wolves in spite of losing Marc Gasol recently

6. The Wolves haven't had lost any of their top rotation players to injury yet this season.

7. The Wolves have lost to both the Wizards and Cavs.

I'm not ready to sound any alarm bells yet. But putting everything together there is definitely cause for concern. Watching the Wolves closely over the first month of the season, it just seems to me something important is missing. It's not just the bench; it's the starters too. This team just doesn't seem built to be a playoff team in the West. We're a plodding, jump-shooting team without a top rotation player who can create his own shot off the dribble. That's not going to get it done in the West. That's a prescription for a lottery pick in the West. Golden State is largely a jump-shooting team, but they are great from behind the arc while the Wolves are not. And GS is also better defensively than the Wolves.

We'll see. When the schedule eases up, the Wolves may make up a lot of lost ground and get on track for that 6th-8th seed most of us were pretty sure they'd get. But it's troubling to see how deficient this team is.