Game Preview #78 – Timberwolves at 76ers

The Wolves find themselves in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race as the season dwindles down to the final five games. Can Minnesota avoid complacency and take care of the tanking 76ers?

Minnesota Timberwolves at Philadelphia 76ers
Date: April 5th, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM CDT
Location: Wells Fargo Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio

The Wolves Are Locked In—Now Comes the Final Push

There’s a moment in every great sports movie when the team finally figures it out. The chemistry clicks. The coach gets through to the guys. The scrappy supporting characters start knocking down big shots. Cue the montage. That’s where the Minnesota Timberwolves are right now. After 77 games of ups, downs, heartbreak, heroics, and more late-game chaos than a White Lotus season finale, the Wolves might just be peaking at the right time.

Four straight wins. Phoenix? Smacked. Detroit? Out-brawled. Denver? Survived Nikola Jokic going full Godzilla in a double-OT thriller. Brooklyn? Casual work. And now? Five games left. That’s it. The season is down to one hand’s worth of basketball. The margin for error? Basically nonexistent.

Here’s what we know: The Wolves will finish somewhere between third and eighth in the West. That’s a massive window. It’s like being told you’re either getting a luxury suite or sleeping in your car—you’d like to know which. The plan is still looming. One bad night and you’re out. You could lose because of a cold shooting stretch, a whistle-happy ref, or, God forbid, Obi Toppin torching you again. Minnesota has to avoid that scenario like it’s a YouTube comment section.

And the good news? They’re playing like a team that knows what’s at stake. The squad seems dialed in, engaged, and—dare I say it?—focused. This is the most locked-in we’ve seen the Wolves all season, and it could not be better timed.

Which brings us to Philly. Saturday night. A game that should—on paper—be a breeze. Joel Embiid? Out. Tyrese Maxey? Out. Andre Drummond? Nope. It’s a Sixers team that’s playing for ping pong balls, not playoff seeds.

But this is Minnesota. And if you’ve followed this team even remotely closely, you know there’s no such thing as a “guaranteed win.” The Wolves have dropped games this season to the Raptors, Wizards, Spurs, Blazers, and Jazz. That’s half the NBA Draft Lottery field. It’s like they took the tank standings as a personal challenge.

This can’t be one of those nights.

The Wolves need to stomp the Sixers early. Get in, get out, treat it like a veteran road trip. They’ve already dropped too many winnable games to waste one now.

But there’s reason to believe this is a different version of the team.

Let’s talk Rudy Gobert. You want to know how you become one of the most misunderstood stars of your generation? Be elite at defense, awkward on offense, and French. But anyone watching this team closely knows Rudy is their second-most important player. And right now? He’s in playoff mode.

Rudy’s not flashy. He won’t end up on “House of Highlights” unless it’s a massive swat or a putback dunk. But his 21-point, 17-rebound effort in Brooklyn showed how far he’s come since the sluggish start to the season. The Wolves are actively involving him in the offense—lob threats, deep seals, second-chance points—and it’s unlocking a completely new gear for this team. You add in his rim protection, the way he controls the glass, and suddenly this looks like a team that’s built for seven-game series warfare.

Oh, and remember all those “Rudy can’t play in the playoffs” narratives? The Nuggets might beg to differ after getting handled by him for six straight matchups.

Now, throw in Anthony Edwards, who continues to sprinkle in just enough “I might be the best player on the court” moments to keep opposing teams sweating. He’s playing with confidence, rhythm, and swagger. And unlike earlier this season, it’s the good kind of swagger—the one that fuels a 28-point explosion on a bad ankle, not the one that results in five straight step-back threes when you’re down two.

Julius Randle has been equally pivotal. He’s defending, moving the ball, and taking smarter shots. When his three-point stroke is falling—like it was against Brooklyn—it adds a level of spacing that opens up everything else. But even when it’s not, he’s learning to pivot, attack the rim, and find teammates. Growth, people. It’s happening in real time.

So what’s next?

Philadelphia on Saturday, then Milwaukee and Memphis, then back home to close against Brooklyn (again) and Utah. That’s your season right there. Win out and you could realistically end up as the 3-seed. Drop a couple and you’re booking a date in the play-in.

Bottom line: the Wolves have to treat each of these final five games like a playoff series. No more flat starts. No more scoring droughts. No more fourth-quarter meltdowns. No more playing with your food against teams that are clearly headed for vacation. Every possession matters now.

They’re healthy. They’re clicking. The schedule is favorable. The vibes are high.

Now it’s time to finish the job.

Let’s see if these Wolves are ready to hunt.