Looking at Timberwolves' final 10 games amid dogfight in Western Conference

Minnesota is a game out of a top-six seed and 3.5 games back of the third seed with 10 regular-season games remaining.

Nolan O'Hara | Mar 22, 2025

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch directs his team as they play the New Orleans Pelicans in the third quarter at Target Center in Minneapolis on March 21, 2025. / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have 10 regular-season games remaining. Each could be described as must-win games.

As of Saturday afternoon, the Wolves are eighth in the Western Conference standings, tied with the seventh-place Los Angeles Clippers and just a game back of the sixth-place Golden State Warriors. They're only 2.5 games back of fifth-place Memphis and 3.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers, who sit fourth and third, respectively.

The Wolves are in a tricky spot where every single game remaining is critical. They'd need to make up two games on the Warriors in order to get into a top-six seed and avoid the play-in tournament as Golden State holds the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Wolves do hold head-to-head tiebreakers over the Clippers and Nuggets, though they'd need to make up even more ground to overcome Denver. The Wolves and Lakers split, but L.A. will likely win its division and the tiebreaker.

Here's a look at the standings before Saturday's games were played:

Western Conference standings

Oklahoma City Thunder (58-12)
Houston Rockets (46-25), 12.5 games back of first
Los Angeles Lakers (43-26), 14.5 GB
Denver Nuggets (44-27), 14.5 GB
Memphis Grizzlies (43-28), 15.5 GB
Golden State Warriors (41-29), 17 GB
Los Angeles Clippers (40-30), 18 GB
Minnesota Timberwolves (41-31), 18 GB
Sacramento Kings (35-34), 22.5 GB
Phoenix Suns (34-37), 24.5 GB
Dallas Mavericks (34-37), 24.5 GB
Portland Trail Blazers (32-39), 26.5 GB
San Antonio Spurs (30-39), 27.5 GB
New Orleans Pelicans (19-52), 39.5 GB (eliminated from postseason contention)
Utah Jazz (16-55), 42.5 GB (eliminated from postseason contention)

The Wolves are fortunate both the Warriors and Nuggets have difficult remaining schedules — Golden State has remaining games against the Grizzlies, Lakers, Nuggets, Rockets and Clippers, while Denver still has two games against the Rockets and games against the Milwaukee Bucks, Timberwolves, Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Kings and Grizzlies.

Minnesota's schedule is more favorable, but that hasn't always been a good thing for the Wolves.

Here's a look at the final 10 of the regular season:

Timberwolves remaining schedule

Monday at Pacers (40-29)

The Wolves get back on the road on Sunday and visit the Indiana Pacers, who beat them in overtime less than a week ago and without four of their five starters. The Pacers play at a pace fitting their name, which has given the Wolves trouble at times as they've struggled in transition. This is a game Minnesota should be able to win, but it's no doubt a tough way to start off the final stretch, particularly on the road against a team whose play style has been known to cause some issues.

Friday vs. Suns (34-37)

The Wolves are 3-0 against Phoenix this season and have a chance to complete the sweep as they return home after a few days off after the Pacers game. There is absolutely no reason Minnesota should lose this matchup, between the rest and the opponent. The Suns have been playing better, winners of three straight while going 6-4 in their last 10 games, and they do still have a play-in spot to fight for, so they won't roll over. The Wolves need to take care of business in this one.

March 30 vs. Detroit Pistons (39-32)

Fifty-three points from Anthony Edwards weren't enough against the Pistons in their lone matchup this season in January. The Wolves will need to do a better job on the glass in this one, something they've still struggled with, but they are a much different and better team than the last time these two faced. They'll need to play as a team and get the job done at home.

April 1 at Nuggets (44-27)

As good as the Nuggets have been, it's hard to believe the Wolves will be going for a sweep when they face off in Denver on April Fool's Day, but that'll be the case. Minnesota blew them out in Denver the last time the two teams faced, and its best players — Edwards and Julius Randle — were the drivers of the effort and playing at their best. That will need to be the recipe once again when the Wolves face the Nuggets for the final time in the regular season.

April 3 at Nets (23-47)

Minnesota won't have anything to draw from in this one as it's the first of two matchups against Brooklyn, both of which come in the final 10 games. Realistically, the most difficult thing about this matchup should be traveling from Denver to New York. The Nets simply aren't that good and have lost eight of their last 10. Another take care of business game.

April 5 at 76ers (23-47)

Wolves coach Chris Finch has said his team can beat anyone and lose to anyone. The latter can't be the case against a 76ers team that's been mired in injuries and without Joel Embiid and Paul George for the remainder of the season. The Wolves didn't have any trouble taking care of business against Philadelphia the first time they met at Target Center.

April 8 at Milwaukee Bucks (39-30)

Edwards missed a potential game-winning 3 as time expired the last time the Wolves played the Bucks, but it never should have gotten to that as Minnesota fell into an early 16-point deficit. The slow starts have been a theme at home, and the Wolves will need to make sure it doesn't become a theme on the road and start strong when they head to Milwaukee.

April 10 at Grizzlies (43-28)

One could argue this is the toughest remaining game on the schedule as Memphis just seems to have Minnesota's number. The Grizzlies won the first two matchups between the teams by a combined four points. Edwards had looks at potential game-winning 3s as time expired in both of those matchups, and both times the shot didn't fall. Minnesota will need to be better in end-of-game situations, something the team's struggled with, when they face the Grizzlies again.

April 11 vs. Nets (23-47)

The only thing that should be tough about this matchup is the fact it's a back to back.

April 13 vs. Jazz (16-55)

The Wolves have proven they can lose to even the Jazz, but they ran them out of the gym in their last matchup at Target Center. It'll be the final regular-season game of the year and Minnesota will likely have a lot on the line, so if the team can't wake up for this one and take care of business, there are bigger issues going on than just playoff positioning.