Big win by the Wolves last night. Huge games from Towns and Okogie. Kid's defense is coming along, as is his shot. I expect Okogie to be a Ron Artest-like guy. Not a star, but a 15 ppg guy who gets assigned to the opposing team's best defender. He played that role well last night against Harden.
Sadly, even though we're just two rotation players down (three, since Wiggins was sick last night), I just don't see the Wolves climbing out of the hole they are in. At 27-30 (which, for the record, is 23-21 AFTER the Butler trade, and we haven't had one of those guys, Covington for a ton of games, not three other rotation guys), and looking at the last 25 games, they are going to have to go around 16-9 to make it. Forty-three wins is probably what it is going to take.
After going over each upcoming game, I think the Wolves are going to probably go 12-13, maybe 13-12 (if they get the revenge game against Philly, which seems unlikely). Assuming 12-13, a 39-43 record isn't going to get it done.
Could be a lost season. Such a shame. The Butler shit really screwed things up, and then the injuries really hit hard. I still don't remember a playoff team being hit THIS hard. I mean, at one point we were missing six of our top 10 players for a two-month stretch. Even now, with Rose and Teague back, we're still without Covington, who is our best defender, and Tyus Jones, who is a huge glue guy and rotation piece.
The Wolves continue to fight though, and I admire them for it. Just fingers-crossed they can find some way to get hot, and play like I know they can play for the last 25 games. Not likely, again, given all the injuries and drama taking their toll, but I'm hoping. Playoff hopes not dead yet. Still on life support, but there's a chance...