Minnesota Timberwolves' Schedule Breakdown and Record Predictions for December
November was not very kind to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and December looks to be just as rough.
The Wolves did not have much to be thankful for this past month, winning only two out of 11 games and losing both Ricky Rubio and Kevin Martin for an extended period of time due to injury.
Without their starting point guard and shooting guard, the Wolves are set for a very ugly December. In the upcoming month, they will play nine out of their 15 games against teams that made the playoffs last season.
Unfortunately, there is still no word on when center Nikola Pekovic will be returning from his injury, according to Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
"#Twolves Flip Saunders had no update on Nikola Pekovic (wrist, ankle) nor Ricky Rubio (ankle). Kevin Martin (wrist) seeing someone today.
— Andy Greder (@twolvesnow) November 24, 2014 "
On the bright side, Thaddeus Young has rejoined the team after missing five games due to the unfortunate death of his mother. His return won't save the Wolves from a losing record next month, but it's a good start.
Young is currently the second-leading scorer on this team, averaging 12.9 points per game.
It's not going to be pretty, but it's time to take a look at what's waiting ahead for the Timberwolves in December.
Week 1: 12/01-12/06
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Most Notable Matchup: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs (Dec. 6)
In Week 1, the Wolves face the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs. Yikes.
To start off the month, the Wolves go to La La Land and will have to face the three-headed monster that is Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The Clips haven't been great this year (9-5), but they should still win easily over a depleted Wolves team.
Fortunately, the Wolves then go on to play the winless 76ers in Minnesota. The combination of home-court advantage and playing the worst team in the league should equal a guaranteed win.
Then, they must face the Rockets (12-3), which will inevitably be a loss. Dwight Howard has missed the last four games due to a knee injury, but he still has a week to recover before their meeting with the Wolves. Unless Howard sits out, there's no chance for an upset.
Their most notable battle in Week 1 will be on the road against the defending NBA champions. The Spurs have won five straight, and they currently have the league's second-lowest points allowed per game (91.3).
The Wolves' only chance at winning in San Antonio is if they use their athleticism and youth to their advantage. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are all in their thirties, and they won't be able to run with players like Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine.
This game will be an interesting fight between old versus young, but barring a miracle, the Spurs will probably be victorious.
Weekly record: 1-3
Week 2: 12/08-12/14
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Most Notable Matchup: Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Dec. 8)
In Week 2, the Wolves face the Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Wolves start off the second week of December versus the red-hot Warriors (12-2). Good news: The game will be in Minnesota. Bad news: The Wolves must try and stop Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry. The Splash Brothers are currently averaging over 45 points combined per game.
Needless to say, the Wolves probably don't stand a chance.
Fortunately, the Wolves have a should-win game versus the second-best team in Los Angeles. The Lakers (3-12) are a bit more competitive now that Nick Young (aka Swaggy P) is back, but it should still be a relatively easy victory.
The Thunder (4-12) would have been a guaranteed win if the Wolves played them this week, but unfortunately, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook should be back by then. According to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, the dynamic duo is already back on the court.
"Scott Brooks said Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook participated in the majority of practice today, including some contact portions.
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) November 24, 2014"
They must also face the Trail Blazers, who are currently 12-3 so far this season. This is another game in Week 2 that will probably not end in the Wolves' favor.
Weekly Record: 1-3
Week 3: 12/16-12/21
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Most Notable Matchup: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Washington Wizards (Dec. 16)
In Week 3, the Wolves play the Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers.
This is definitely their easiest week in December. The Wolves start off going to Washington for their only really tough opponent. The Wizards currently hold the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 9-5 record.
The Wizards have also spent a majority of this season without their starting shooting guard, Bradley Beal, due to injury. With Beal back in their lineup, they're only going to get better. He is currently the Wizards' second-leading scorer with 14.6 points per game.
The Wolves then end the week with the Pacers and Celtics, who both have losing records. If the Wolves can regain a few of their injured starters, these games should be a pair of victories.
The Celtics have struggled defensively, giving up 107.2 points per game so far this season. The Pacers have the opposite problem. Their defense is top-five in points allowed, but their offense only averages 92.9 points per game.
If healthy, this should be the Wolves' best week in December.
Weekly Record: 2-1
Week 4: 12/23-12/27
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Most Notable Matchup: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Dec. 23)
In Week 4, the Wolves play the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors (all on the road).
The Wolves start the week on the road versus the four-time MVP, LeBron James. The Cavaliers haven't been great so far this year, but by late December, this team should be an offensive powerhouse.
Not to mention, Kevin Love will probably want to go off versus his old team. Especially after ex-teammate Ricky Rubio questioned Love's leadership ability.
"Ricky Rubio told a Spanish publication that Kevin Love isn’t really a vocal leader. http://t.co/hhhsbdeiM8
— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) May 19, 2014"
The Wolves' most winnable game in Week 4 will probably be at Denver. The Nuggets (7-8) have proven to be a dangerous offensive team, ranking sixth in points per game, but their defense has been terrible. Only three teams are allowing more points per game; unfortunately, one of those teams is the Wolves.
The Nuggets aren't very good, but the Wolves are probably worse.
Then they travel to Golden State for what looks to be another guaranteed loss. The Wolves have no chance at stopping arguably the best-shooting backcourt in NBA history. Both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have career three-point shooting percentages over 40 percent.
Three games on the road will not bode well for the Wolves.
Weekly Record: 0-3
Week 5: 12/30
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Most Notable Matchup: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Utah Jazz (Dec. 30)
Well, it's not that big of a matchup, but it's their only matchup.
The Jazz (5-11) will look to make sweet music, but so far this season, they've been flat. Besides Gordon Hayward (20.8 player efficiency rating), the Jazz do not have any big offensive weapons. They rank near the bottom of the league with only 95.6 points per game.
The Jazz have also been equally as bad on defense, allowing over 100 points in nine of their 16 contests.
Even with the numerous injuries, the Wolves have been pretty decent on offense, averaging 99.9 points per game. If the Wolves are fairly healthy, they should end the month with a victory.
Weekly Record: 1-0
December Recap
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Record for the Month: 5-10
OK, it's not very pretty, but what do you expect? The Wolves aren't terrible, but they've lost so many of their key players to injuries.
They will most likely be without their best facilitator and scorer for the entire month. And even if they do return, they will probably need some time to acclimate themselves, especially Rubio, because high-ankle sprains are notorious for being nagging injuries.
Hypothetically, Wiggins and LaVine could flourish in their respected roles and completely turn around the team, but that's not very likely to happen considering they're only 19 years old.
Maybe Shabazz Muhammad or Gorgui Dieng take the next step and become All-Star-caliber players. But if "maybes" and "buts" were candies and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas.
The Wolves will have a rough December and probably a rough season in general.
All stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
Love the T-Wolves? Follow me on Twitter: @JosephZapataIII
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