The All-Star Break provided the Timberwolves with a respite and they responded by winning back-to-back games over the Pacers and Jazz to tie a season-high with three straight wins.
Their winning streak was snapped on Sunday after they blew an 18-point lead in Portland and wound up losing, 108-97. Let’s see how their Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-like performances treated them in the latest power rankings?
NBA.COM: No. 16 – Though the Wolves are still missing Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic, Kevin Love (averaging 34.6 points on 53 percent shooting over his last five games) looks determined to make one more run at the playoffs. But his team’sdefense (which allowed the Aldridge-less Blazers to score 108 points on Sunday) just isn’t good enough to support him. And yes, he’s partially to blame for the bad D.
PRO BASKETBALL TALK: No. 17 – This team really misses the offense that Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic bring — they need to scoring from those two to beat good teams because the Timberwolves are not a good defensive team. At all. Which is why they will miss the playoffs (they can’t make up 6.5 games at this point).
ESPN: No. 17 – You look at the numbers and figure Kevin Love’s February couldn’t be more fantastic: 34.1 PPG, 14.3 RPG and 41 percent shooting from 3-point range. Then you remember to check the standings and see that the Wolves are still are 6.5 games out of the West’s final playoff spot with 26 to go.
FOX SPORTS: TBD
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: No. 17 – Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic can’t return soon enough as the Wolves try to make up ground in the West. Kevin Love has scored at least 30 points in five straight games, but Minnesota needs more than just the All-Star power forward to erase a 6½-game deficit for the No. 8 seed.
CBS SPORTS: No. 16 – They’ve put together a good string of games, but it may be too late. They are 6.5 games out of a playoff spot.
YAHOO SPORTS: TBD
In essence, if the Timberwolves hope to gain more traction in the power rankings they’re going to have to stop getting sent in the wrong direction like Corey Brewer’s dunk attempt against the Blazers on Sunday was. #HolyMoly
