Power rankings in the NBA have been released this week. According to ESPN, the Timberwolves (33-32) are ranked 17th, down one spot from last week.
They’ve won nine of 13. They’re still No. 9 in the league in terms of average nightly point margin at +3.6. But Kevin Love and Co. seem to be getting no closer to halting that nine-season playoff drought, thanks to the injuries and that fatal 3-12 record in games decided by four points or less.
The Wolves are also ranked 15th by Yahoo and 17th from Pro Basketball Talk.
The playoffs still remain an uphill climb for the Timberwolves, who are trying to snap that 9-year streak of missing them.
Minnesota has big road games at Dallas and Houston this week, and they host Phoenix. All three of the teams are ahead of them in the Western Conference playoff race.
Even if they win all three though it won’t be easy. Minnesota is 5 1/2 games behind Phoenix for the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff race with 17 games remaining. Twelve of those games are against teams ranked above them in the power rankings.
