Timberwolves 2023-24 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds, Record Predictions
The Minnesota Timberwolves are counting on added continuity to bring a different outcome following a disappointing 2022-23 season.
Minnesota executed what was arguably the most eye-popping trade of the 2022 offseason when it acquired Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz and parted ways with four future first-round picks and 2022 first-rounder Walker Kessler.
Gobert's arrival didn't have its intended effect as the Wolves won four fewer games and were once again eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski reported in June the organization wasn't going to do anything drastic in response to falling well short of expectations. Head coach Chris Finch and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly are reportedly confident "a full summer and training camp together, and improved health from [Karl-Anthony] Towns and Gobert, will be enough to solve some of the offensive problems the team had last season."
Anthony Edwards also cemented his cornerstone status after averaging 31.6 points and 5.2 assists during Minnesota's brief postseason run. He agreed to a five-year, $205.9 million max extension this summer.
If Edwards has yet another level to his game while Towns and Gobert forge a more cohesive partnership in the frontcourt, then the Timberwolves will wind up silencing their number of skeptics.
Here's a look at their regular-season schedule and a brief preview for the year ahead.
2023-24 Timberwolves Schedule Details
Season Opener: Wednesday, Oct. 25 at Toronto Raptors (7:30 p.m. ET)
Championship Odds: +8500 (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook)
Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com
Top Matchups
Denver Nuggets
The Timberwolves will be out to prove a point after the Denver Nuggets were responsible for eliminating them in the first round. Also, what better way is there to show you're a true contender in the regular season than besting the reigning NBA champions.
Reflecting on the 2023 postseason, Bruce Brown Jr. said on Run Your Race that Minnesota presented the Nuggets with their "toughest series."
Denver's players might have an added edge against Minnesota as well thanks to some comments by Towns. The three-time All-Star attempted to argue the Wolves getting out of the play-in tournament in 2021-22 was "more special" from a narrative standpoint than the Nuggets' title triumph a season later.
In general, Denver will serve as a nice barometer for the amount of progress — or lack thereof — the Timberwolves have made since last season.
Dallas Mavericks
Of the five teams in the Western Conference that finished below a play-in tournament position, the Dallas Mavericks are the likeliest candidates to move up into the top 10 in 2023-24.
Dallas will have the services of Kyrie Irving for a full season. Grant Williams provides some much-needed defense and floor-spacing. Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper should both be able to meaningfully contribute as rookies.
Not to mention, this could be the moment when Luka Dončić goes from MVP contender to MVP winner as he set career highs in points (32.4) and field-goal percentage (49.6) in 2022-23.
The Mavericks still have some glaring flaws, but they're stronger now than when they ended the 2022-23 season. That should put them in direct opposition with Minnesota in the middle of the West.
Season Forecast
One obvious source of encouragement for the Timberwolves is that they managed to have a winning record despite Towns being limited to 29 games. Because of that, it's tough to read anything into the fact the team only had a 0.6 net rating with Towns and Gobert on the court together, per NBA.com.
Having Mike Conley for all 82 games should help as well. He averaged 14 points and 5 assists while shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc after landing in Minneapolis. Even though he's past his prime, Conley is a better fit than D'Angelo Russell was for this roster.
Minnesota's fortunes on the court should improve; how much is the million-dollar question.
Forty-four wins was enough to claim the sixth seed in the West, and the level of competition is about the same. Winning two more games — or even matching its 46-36 record from 2021-22 — is a reasonable target.
Record Prediction: 46-36
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