Timberwolves 2022-23 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds, Record Predictions

The Minnesota Timberwolves took a massive step forward last year after improving to 46-36 and making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

They retain a fantastic young core featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell, and now they've added one of the game's best defensive players in former Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

Minnesota president of basketball operations Tim Connelly pushed all his chips into the center of the table with that move, which saw the Wolves part with five first-round picks.

Still, Minnesota's new core four is one of the best quartets in basketball, and that should be good enough for the team to continue its ascendance up the NBA mountain.

The Wolves are well-positioned for success, and now we know how their regular-season slate looks. You can check it out below alongside some matchup notes and a season prediction.

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2022-23 Timberwolves Schedule Details

Season Opener: Oct. 19 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Championship Odds: 33-1 (FanDuel)

Full Schedule: NBA.com

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Top Matchups

Memphis Grizzlies (First Game: Nov. 11)

The Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies played one of the best playoff series in recent memory last April and May.

The Grizz took the first-round battle four games to two by overcoming double-digit fourth-quarter deficits on three separate occasions.

Although the Timberwolves' fourth-quarter performances left a lot to be desired, they showed their ability to compete with one of the NBA's best teams last year on the biggest stage.

Now they have Gobert to man the paint and stop the defensive bleeding that hindered them down the stretch in those Grizz games.

We'll see if the Frenchman proves to be the difference here, but either way, the Memphis regular-season series should prove to be a good litmus test for the Timberwolves as they look to continue their improvement.

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Golden State Warriors (First Game: Nov. 27)

To be the best, you've got to beat the best, and that's where the Golden State Warriors are after winning their fourth NBA championship since 2015.

The Dubs return all their key players from last year and are well-positioned to compete for the NBA title again.

If the Wolves want to make a dark-horse run to the NBA Finals, they'll likely have to go through the Warriors, which should be one of the West's top teams. Minnesota fared well against them by splitting the four-game series with Golden State last year.

The Timberwolves have proved their ability to play against and beat the best, although inconsistencies on the defensive end (No. 24 in points allowed) didn't do them any favors.

Games against the offensively dominant Warriors should be a good barometer to see how the Timberwolves' defense has improved with Gobert on the court now.

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Season Forecast

On paper, the Timberwolves are clearly a better team.

They retained their top three players and added an All-Star in Gobert. Minnesota also picked up two solid players for the bench (Kyle Anderson, Austin Rivers) and kept another young, talented forward in Jaden McDaniels. Wing Wendell Moore Jr., the No. 26 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, should also contribute next season.

Traversing the Western Conference won't be easy, though.

The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, megastar Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, Ja Morant and the deep Memphis Grizzlies, and the 64-win Phoenix Suns all reside in the West.

Elsewhere, Kawhi Leonard should return for a talented Los Angeles Clippers team, and the same goes for Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans.

But the Timberwolves are a better team than the 46-win crew from last year. The defense should be much improved, and last year's top scoring team has kept its top three-point producers. That should be enough to climb up the standings.

Look for the Wolves to compete (and eventually land) a top-four spot in the West.

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Record Prediction: 54-28 (No. 4 in West)

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