The Timberwolves will definitely make the NBA playoffs ... in 2018

The Timberwolves are giant killers. Minnesota beat the scorching Wizards on Monday night behind another massive outing from Karl-Anthony Towns (the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week) and 19 assists from Ricky Rubio. That win goes into a bucket with recent Minnesota wins over Golden State, the Clippers, and Utah. The Wolves have won seven of their last 10 against a pretty darn tough schedule. (The tough schedule continues with Boston and Miami this week.)

Over those 10 games, Towns is averaging 28 and 15 on 61 percent shooting. Rubio is averaging 14 and 11. But the important part is the defense, in which both of those guys also factor heavily. Over the past 10 games Minnesota has the No. 2 defense in the league (again, that comes against some damn good teams). Defense is what held the Wolves back early this season. It’s also what we knew Tom Thibodeau would install as the new coach of the team. It’s happening now.

Unfortunately, Minnesota dug too deep a hole even in the shallow West. The Wolves are 3.5 games behind the hot Nuggets with 16 games to go. That’s a tough path. So we look toward next year, where — barring injuries — Minnesota will be a popular and safer pick to end their long playoff drought. Their path looks like it may follow that of the Utah Jazz: from the playoff fringe to a solid mid-pack team in a year or two. It’ll be interesting to see how Thibodeau attacks the offseason as a personnel guy.

For now, it’s really nice to watch Rubio thrive after all the trade rumors and watching Towns is always a revelation.

CHI 115, CHA 109
DAL 78, TOR 100
MIL 93, MEM 113
ATL 99, SAS 107
WAS 104, MIN 119
LAC 108, UTA 114
ORL 115, SAC 120
LAL 101, DEN 129

The San Antonio Spurs have officially taken over the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Kawhi Leonard was cleared for action, and he scored 30 again to lead the Spurs past the Hawks. San Antonio clinched the tiebreaker over Golden State in that Saturday night travesty, and the teams are knotted at 52-14, so the Spurs are officially in first place. And Kawhi isn’t a valid MVP candidate?

Ricky O’Donnell has the 50 players you need to know for March Madness. This is my study guide.

Jon Bois’ latest episode of Pretty Good digs deep into the mystery of a record-breaking 1992 “basketball game” between Troy State and DeVry. Jon Bois is a national treasure.

I’ll come right out and say it: I’m not sure we should take LaVar Ball’s claims at face value. Lonzo’s dad, who averaged two points per game at Wazzu in the late ’80s, says he could have taken Michael Jordan 1-on-1 and claims to want a $1 billion shoe deal for his sons (despite the fact that Lonzo is going to be in the NBA next year and the youngest son is years away from being eligible to take sneaker money). The dude sure is entertaining, though.

Kristian Winfield on Notorious B.I.G. Night in Brooklyn. Very cool idea from the Nets.

Oh no! Chandler Parsons tore his meniscus again. That’s three knee injuries in three years. For the record, The Chainsmokers broke through around the time Parsons’ career went sideways. We might have a Harry Potterish “neither can live while the other survives” prophecy here. Just another reason to ban The Chainsmokers, assuming of course poor C-Parz isn’t in fact the long lost third Chainsmoker.

What a mess the NBA draft Lottery race is shaking out to be.

Tim Cato writes that Markelle Fultz is probably still the No. 1 pick despite missing the tournament.

Michael Pina makes the case for Andre Roberson to win Defensive Player of the Year.

Big Tim Keown blow-out on Russell Westbrook.

That feeling when you commit a Shaqtin’ The Fool candidate right in front of Shaq. (The Brent Barry, Derek Fisher, and Shaq broadcast team put on for TNT’s “Players Only” theme was pretty interesting. I’d like to see Fish, Bones, and Chris Webber. And I really want to see new TNT contributor Chris Bosh do a game.)

Larry Sanders is back in the NBA, and he might win a championship.

Interesting read from Marc Spears on how black NBA players have embraced Salt Lake City.

Let’s talk about two wildly successful businesses with madly dysfunctional basketball teams. Kristaps Porzingis is confused about what the heck the Knicks are doing. Dwyane Wade wishes the Bulls’ front office would address his team’s collapse.

Sam Amick polled 32 front office executives on the MVP race, and it looks like James Harden is narrowly edging Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard among that group. It’ll be interesting to see where the media goes and how the last month changes things.