SUMMARY
- The Timberwolves and Thunder are the top two teams in the Western Conference.
- Last season, both franchises were Play-In Tournament teams.
The 2023-24 season has been full of surprises. Fans have witnessed history being made on the floor while empires unravel and teams fight for a spot in the playoffs. But nothing comes as close as watching the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder achieve the top two spots in the Western Conference. To some fans, reading the previous would seem quite odd.
RUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
VOTE » https://t.co/adpbBYDQ4T pic.twitter.com/K5utPzXfRn
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 15, 2024
The Timberwolves have held the top spot in the West for quite some time now. It seems like they will conclude the season as the best team in the conference. They currently hold a record of 28 wins and 11 losses. OKC happens to be right behind them in the rankings with a 27-11 record. Fans are astonished by this as one said, “All this to get absolutely fried in the playoffs.” Another fan said, “Playoff droppers lmao.”
All this to get absolutely fried in the playoffs😂😂
— ²³𝙻𝚎𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚜🏀☄️🌎💞 (@BronGotGame) January 14, 2024
Playoff droppers lmao 😭
— ³⁰🌞 (@GameOnSteph_) January 14, 2024
It doesn’t seem like fans are too hopeful that either team will make a deep playoff run. However, before we get into that discussion, both teams have achieved more than they did last season at the midway point. Both teams were at Play-In Tournament berths by the end of last season. The Timberwolves and Thunder have already accomplished half of their previous season’s overall records.
Will the Timberwolves or Thunder reach the NBA Finals?
There is still a lot of time left and proving to be done by both teams. The Timberwolves have shown a lot of effort and fight through this season so far. Obviously, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns have been working the offense very well. They have been averaging a combined total of 47.1 points per game. They will reach the playoffs, but their lack of experience might be a setback.
Experience might be the same issue for the Thunder as well. They have two players who have been fighting through all odds and carrying the team. One of them is Chet Holmgren who is playing through his debut season averaging 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists with 2.5 blocks per game. And then there is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is an MVP-caliber player. He ranks amongst the top three candidates right now.
The Timberwolves and Thunder’s lack of experience may cause issues against teams such as the LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets. Both teams have veteran players who have made deep playoff runs before. In case they do get past such teams and enter the finals, the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics would be their second hurdle.
