For the fourth straight season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have punched their ticket to the NBA playoffs, and after a run to the Western Conference Finals last year, expectations should be high.
With a win over the Utah Jazz in the last game of the regular season, the Wolves avoided the play-in tournament and will get a week off before the first round begins.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Timberwolves’ first-round playoff matchup.
Where are the Timberwolves seeded?
The Wolves earned the No. 6 seed, finishing with a 49-33 record. It’s a step back from last season, when they finished 56-26 and headed into the postseason with the No. 3 seed, but it’s still among the best records in franchise history.
Who will the Timberwolves play in the first round?
The Wolves get LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.
Minnesota knows well what a tempestuous talent Doncic is. In last year’s Western Conference Finals, Doncic — then a Dallas Maverick — averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists against the Wolves. With the Lakers this year, he’s logging 28.2 points a night, along with 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists.
James, meanwhile, remains one of the league’s premier talents, even at 40 years old. He wasn’t far behind Doncic this season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists.
Overall this season, the Lakers ranked 12th in offensive rating and 15th in defensive rating. They finished with a 50-32 record.
When do the Timberwolves play?
Only the first game of the Timberwolves-Lakers series has been scheduled. That will take place Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT in Los Angeles.
What do the stats say about the Timberwolves?
Though they may not always look like it, the Wolves are actually one of the NBA’s most balanced teams. They finished the regular season eighth in offensive rating and sixth in defensive rating. The No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder and play-in-bound Memphis Grizzlies are the only other Western Conference teams in the postseason to rank top 10 in both metrics.
Star Anthony Edwards led the league in three-pointers made and, accordingly, finished with the highest points per game average of his career (27.6). Center Rudy Gobert had another strong season, finishing ninth in defensive win shares and 12th in offensive win shares. In his first season with the Wolves, Julius Randle settled in nicely after some early season growing pains and injuries. He averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per night.
Are Timberwolves playoffs tickets on sale?
Tickets for the Wolves’ two guaranteed home games are now on sale on the team’s website. If the series goes long enough to necessitate more games at Target Center, they’ll go on sale in the future.
Anthony BettinAnthony Bettin is a web producer at CBS Minnesota. He primarily covers breaking news and sports, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings.
