Timberwolves entering basketball royal rumble against NBA elites

The Minnesota Timberwolves are entering what equates to a basketball royal rumble, where the best of the best will enter the ring and by the time the calendar flips to March everyone will have a really good idea of where the Wolves rank among the NBA elite.

Having won eight of ten games overall, Minnesota is charging into a stretch of seven games against championship contenders. It starts Monday night on the road against the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Wolves hosted Cleveland on Jan. 18 and lost 124-117, never finding an answer for Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who combined for 65 points—fueled by nine three-pointers and 17 trips to the free-throw line. The Cavs come into the contest with good health and De'Andre Hunter, who is expected to make his Cleveland debut after being traded from the Atlanta Hawks. Hunter lit up Minnesota for 35 points in the Wolves' win over Atlanta on Jan. 27.

Minnesota returns home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. The Bucks won't be full strength as superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss at least another week due to calf soreness. Milwaukee has dropped six of nine games overall, including four straight without Antetokounmpo.

On Thursday night, the Wolves hit the road for a date with the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder. It's the second night of a back-to-back for both teams. While Minnesota will be flying from Minneapolis to Oklahoma City, the Thunder will be flying home after playing in Miami Wednesday night. The Thunder beat Minnesota 113-107 on New Year's Eve in Oklahoma City. More meetings loom in short order.

The All-Star break (Feb. 14-20) will give Minnesota a chance to get key players back from injury. It's possible that Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo return when the Wolves return to play Feb. 21 at Houston. DiVincenzo hasn't played since suffering a big toe sprain Jan. 15, and Randle has been out with a right adductor strain since Jan. 30.

The Rockets have lost six of seven entering play Monday and they are 1-2 against the Wolves this season, with their lone win coming in overtime in Minneapolis on Nov. 26. All three games have been nailbiters.

The fifth and sixth games in the gauntlet are back-to-back Feb. 23-24 against the Thunder. The first game is at Target Center and then both teams fly to OKC for another go at Paycom Center.

Minnesota then gets two days off before a highly-anticipated matchup with the new-look Lakers in Los Angeles on Feb. 27. Luka Doncic is making his Lakers debut Monday night, marking his first game since being traded and first action on the court since suffering a calf injury against Minnesota on Christmas Day.

It's going to be an intense 17 days in which Anthony Edwards and company will have to show out against the likes of Mitchell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, LeBron James and Doncic.

As difficult as the schedule is, it's an opportunity for Minnesota to move up the standings. They enter play Monday sixth in the West, 2.5 games behind the Lakers, three behind the Rockets and just four back of the third-place Nuggets.