Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Utah Jazz

Date: March 16th, 2025

Time: 6:00 PM CDT

Location: Target Center

Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North/KARE 11

Radio Coverage: KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio

Wolves Keep Rolling, But There’s No Time to Slow Down

The Minnesota Timberwolves are officially on fire.

After a ferocious fourth-quarter comeback against the Orlando Magic, the Wolves extended their season-high winning streak to seven games and continue their attempt to climb up the Western Conference standings. If this was November or December Wolves, we all know how this story ends—a sluggish, uninspired effort, a brutal shooting drought, and a final-minute collapse that ends with us screaming at our TVs.

But this team? This team actually figured it out.

Down 11 points heading into the fourth quarter, the Wolves locked in defensively, ramped up their intensity, and let Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards completely take over the game. The Magic, who were absolutely flaming hot from three for the first 36 minutes, hit a wall in the final frame. The Wolves’ defensive intensity skyrocketed, their rotations tightened, and what was once an easy 11-point lead for Orlando turned into a relentless Minnesota avalanche.

This was a “good teams win these games” kind of win. And for Wolves fans, it’s surreal to say that this team might actually be one of those teams.

The Utah Revenge Game: Wolves Need to Keep Their Foot on the Gas

Next up? A Sunday night matchup against the Utah Jazz—the last team to beat the Wolves.

Back on February 28th, Minnesota dropped an absolute heartbreaker to the Jazz—a one-point loss in the game where Anthony Edwards had to sit out due to his 16th technical foul suspension.

Not only was Ant missing, but so were Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, and Julius Randle. It was the very definition of an undermanned game, and yet the Wolves still had a chance to win in the final seconds.

This time? No excuses.

• Minnesota is fully healthy.
• They’re playing at home.
• They’re riding a seven-game heater.

If the Wolves are serious about escaping the play-in and making a run at the fifth or even fourth seed, this game has to be a win.

Keys to the Game vs. Utah

1. Come Out Strong, Avoid the “Play With Your Food” Syndrome

Minnesota made things way harder than they needed to be against Orlando. They led early, then messed around, let Orlando get comfortable, and next thing you know, they were down 11 in the fourth quarter.

That can’t happen again.

Against Utah, the Wolves need to:

✅ Punch first. Build an early lead, set the tone, and don’t let Utah gain confidence.

✅ Maintain intensity. No lazy stretches, no going through the motions, no “we’ll figure it out in the fourth” nonsense.

✅ Bury them early. The Jazz are a lot less scary when they’re playing from behind.

Utah is not a good team. They’re lottery bound and clearly playing out the string. The Wolves need to end this one early.

2. Limit Turnovers & Hit Free Throws

Minnesota’s biggest self-inflicted wounds against Orlando?

☑ Careless, lazy turnovers.

☑ A disgraceful free-throw shooting performance.

The Wolves handed Orlando easy transition buckets multiple times just by making boneheaded passes and fumbling the ball away. That can’t happen against Utah.

And free throws? Don’t get me started.

They shot 71% from the line against Orlando, and if this was a road game, they’d have been handing out free Chick-fil-A sandwiches all night.

News flash: If you want to be a real playoff contender, you can’t leave free points on the table.

3. Dominate in the Paint

The Wolves’ biggest advantage? Size.

• Rudy Gobert is a menace in the paint.
• Julius Randle is a bully.
• Naz Reid can torch bigs from anywhere on the floor.

Utah has struggled mightily against Minnesota’s frontcourt in previous matchups. Minnesota needs to attack the rim, dominate the glass, and make Utah’s life miserable down low.

4. Close Out on Shooters & Defend the Perimeter

Orlando shot out of their minds from three, and the Wolves let them get way too many clean looks.

Utah beat Minnesota in their last meeting by hitting 40% from behind the arc.

• Defensive rotations need to be sharper.
• Closeouts need to be quicker.
• Lazy possessions where defenders get caught ball-watching? Not an option.

If Utah isn’t hitting contested threes, they don’t have the firepower to keep up with the Wolves.

5. Keep the Ball Moving & Play Team Basketball

The biggest reason for Minnesota’s resurgence?

Unselfish play.

• Edwards isn’t forcing bad shots.
• Randle is playing in rhythm.
• DiVincenzo, McDaniels, and Reid are all thriving.

When the ball moves, the Wolves are nearly unstoppable.

They need to keep up the crisp passing, avoid over-dribbling, and make the extra pass to the open shooter.

If they stay disciplined, they’ll roll.

The Bigger Picture: The Wolves’ Playoff Push

The win streak is great.

But the standings are still brutal.

✅ Golden State refuses to lose. They remain tied with the Wolves, holding the tiebreaker.

✅ The Lakers and Grizzlies are faltering, which means that a top-five or even top-four seed isn’t out of reach.

✅ The Wolves have the easiest remaining schedule in the NBA.

It’s all right there for the taking.

If the Wolves handle their business over the next few games, they could catapult into the top six—or higher.

Here’s what’s ahead:

✅ Sunday: Utah (winnable)

✅ Tuesday: Indiana (winnable, but tougher)

✅ Thursday & Saturday: New Orleans (struggling team, must sweep)

By the time the Wolves head into April, they could be on a double-digit winning streak and knocking on the door of home-court advantage.

But it starts with Sunday.

Beat Utah. Extend the streak. Keep the pressure on Golden State.

This team is built to make a run.

Now, they just have to go get it.