Minnesota Timberwolves: 6 Keys to a 2013 NBA Playoff Run

The Minnesota Timberwolves haven't made the playoffs since they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2003-04 Western Conference Finals.

Since they last made the playoffs, the Timberwolves have posted a winning percentage of .333. But this season, Minnesota is starting to turn the corner. They're 26-39—a winning percentage of .400—and were in the playoff picture for much of the year before fading at the end.

The Timberwolves making the playoffs next season isn't impossible. In fact, it should be expected by Minnesota fans. Here are six things the Timberwolves must do to get back into the postseason during the 2012-13 season.

Play Better at Home

The Timberwolves have virtually identical records on the road and at home. In games on the road they're 13-20, while they're 13-19 in games in Minnesota.

Their road record is pretty solid for a back-end playoff team. It's their play at home that needs to drastically improve for the T-Wolves to make the postseason in 2012-13.

If Minnesota can post the same road winning percentage next season (.393) and improve their home winning percentage to .700, it would give them a 45-37 record over an 82-game season. That should be enough to get into the playoffs.

Get More Acclimated to Adelman's System

Rick Adelman's had a long and successful career as a head coach in the NBA. He's got a 971-655 record (.597 winning percentage) throughout his career as an NBA head coach. His teams have also made the playoffs in 16 of his 21 seasons.

Based on Adelman's track record, it's obvious he knows what he's doing. The Timberwolves just need more time to learn the Princeton offense that he runs. With an actual offseason to get a firmer grasp of the offense, the Timberwolves will be much more successful next season.

Get Ricky Rubio Back Healthy

It took a couple of seasons for Ricky Rubio to make it to the NBA after he was drafted with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft. But once he arrived, he made his impact immediately.

Rubio was a stellar point guard this season, averaging 8.2 assists and only 3.2 turnovers per game. He also chipped in 10.6 points per game.

Unfortunately for Rubio and the Timberwolves, the rookie point guard tore his ACL back in March and had to miss the remainder of the season. At the time, the Timberwolves were 21-20 and in contention for a playoff spot.

If Rubio can come back healthy, there's no reason why the Timberwolves can't make the playoffs next season. They were in contention with him in the lineup this season. Also, Rubio is only 21 years old, so he's likely to be an even better player next season.

Improve on Defense

The Timberwolves could use some improvement on defense. They're currently ranked 19th in defensive efficiency. The T-Wolves are also 18th in field-goal percentage against.

An improvement on the defensive end would go a long way in getting the Timberwolves back into the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Continue to Progress

This one seems like a no-brainer, but for a team as young as Minnesota, it's a reasonable expectation. The Timberwolves' two cornerstone players are still young. Kevin Love is 23 and Ricky Rubio is 21.

Kevin Love is already an established star, while Rubio appears to be well on his way. Given their relative youth, and the improvements that they've already made to their games, it's likely that they'll only get better.

Another year of individual development, plus more time to learn each other's tendencies on the court, should make a big difference for Minnesota.

Utilize Cap Space

Minnesota should have plenty of cap space to make some moves in free agency. Brad Miller has announced that he is retiring after the season. Apparently he's going to spend his free time duck hunting and working on his hunting TV show, Country Boys Outdoors. The T-Wolves had a $5.1 million option on Miller for next season that will come off the books.

Michael Beasley is also a free agent after the season. He's making $6.25 million this season, so that's some more money to spend on free agents.

Minnesota can also buy out the last year of Martell Webster's contract for $600,000. If they do that, the rest of his $5.71 million contract will not go against the cap.

Between Miller, Beasley and Webster, the Timberwolves could have about $15 million to spend in free agency. For that type of money, the Timberwolves should be able to add an impact free agent.