The Minnesota Timberwolves are off to a hot start in 2023, compiling a record of 14-4 through 18 games. They sit atop the Western Conference (one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets) and appear poised for a magical season.
As impressive as they’ve been to this point, the early success has actually served as an ugly reminder of just how much this franchise has struggled since being founded in 1989.
Following a 101-90 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic put things in perspective. He noted that prior to this season, the Timberwolves had only spent 10 days total as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. That was over a 34-year span. This season, Minnesota has already spent more time than that as the No. 1 seed.
In their previous 34 years of existence, the Timberwolves spent a grand total of 10 days as the outright No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
After beating Utah, the Wolves have been the outright No. 1 for 10 days THIS SEASON.*
*from @TheAthleticNBA’s great @JJ__NBA
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) December 1, 2023
That is an absolutely mind-blowing stat when you consider just how competitive the Kevin Garnett-led Timberwolves were in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Although those numbers are a somber reminder of what life has been like for Timberwolves fans, it should also serve as a reminder that bad times don’t last forever.
There’s no telling how this season will play out for Minnesota, but for the first time in their entire existence, they’re the top dog. And that’s got to be fun for the players and the fans alike.
