ESPN Power Rankings

[TheFranchise21]

16 (21) Timberwolves 15-27
So do you think Al Jefferson, with help from Kevin Love, was trying to send a message to the keepers of the Weekend Dime with that 39-point eruption Sunday night that took down Chicago in overtime? Us, too.

Ahead of the 24-19 Pistons.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerrank ... 09&week=13

[Basti]

Rob mentioned it in the other thread... Big Al with the big grin on the cover. I love it!

[Chance1117]

That might be to high to early but still very nice. That would put us in the playoffs technically speaking. Good to get some recognition.

[Chance1117]

-

[Mcfale313]

Here's a hoopsworld version, i think its better


http://www.hoopsworld.com/teams/Rankings.asp

17 (21) Minnesota Timberwolves 15 - 27
The Wolves have won 11 of their last 15. If they keep winning at the same pace, they'll finish with 44 wins and a reasonable shot for a low playoff seed.

[Mcfale313]

Just to throwin another

NBA.com version

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/powerranki ... index.html

17 Minnesota (20) 15-27 Pace: 90.7 (12), Off: 107.5 (23), Def: 111.0 (22)
What team has the best record in January? Why, it's the Minnesota Timberwolves (9-2), of course. They've improved on both sides of the ball in the new year, but especially on the offensive end, where they have a 115.6 rating since Jan. 1.

so we are about 17 now in NBA based on these 3 rankings, if top 16 make playoffs, the wolves arent really far from grabbing one spot

[theGreatRC]

^
In reality though, we are about 11 games from the 8th seed in the west, and 5 games away in the East.

Oh man if we could make the playoffs that would be the Shiizzz! I just want to see the look on Al Jefferson's face if we made the playoffs this year.

Too bad we won't.

[southern wolf]

Power rankings change so rapidly, we'll probably be back down in the 20's next week. And they'll be saying something like 'The red hot Lakers led by Kobe Bryant' or 'the streaking Celtics led by Kevin Garnett sent the Timberwolves back down to earth, and you have to wonder if the Timberwolves can recapture the form they showed in January.'

[Basti]

^
In reality though, we are about 11 games from the 8th seed in the west, and 5 games away in the East.

Oh man if we could make the playoffs that would be the Shiizzz! I just want to see the look on Al Jefferson's face if we made the playoffs this year.

Too bad we won't.

no, we are 8.5 games out of it

just sayin'

[skorff26]

Yeah we've been the 7th worst team in the league for a little while now, but now we'll start passing some of those eastern teams.

[big3_8_19_21]

I'm just worried that we'll miss the playoffs AND our pick...I want at least one or the other and I know it's about a 3% chance of making the playoffs

[karch34]

I'm just worried that we'll miss the playoffs AND our pick...I want at least one or the other and I know it's about a 3% chance of making the playoffs

I feel the same way. But at the same time finishing that well likely means the team has really started to put it together which is important. And it's not like we'll be without picks this offseason even if we have ours going to the Clippers. Silver lining I know.

[revprodeji]

I am content with missing the playoffs and losing the pick. What we gain from the development is worth more than a 11-14 pick would be.
If we win the lotto (top 3) then woo-hoo
If we get 11-14 then we have a very weak draft and the player likely will not be more than a prospect.
The miami pick will likely be in the same range.
We would save a roster spot and cap money.

Just win...

[Worm Guts]

I am content with missing the playoffs and losing the pick. What we gain from the development is worth more than a 11-14 pick would be.
If we win the lotto (top 3) then woo-hoo
If we get 11-14 then we have a very weak draft and the player likely will not be more than a prospect.
The miami pick will likely be in the same range.
We would save a roster spot and cap money.

Just win...

I don't think anyone is advocating tanking but missing the pick would be disapointing. Especially considering that if we do miss the pick, it will most likely be by 3 wins or less. I think the ideal situation would be to be the 10th worst team.

[Krapinsky]

I am content with missing the playoffs and losing the pick. What we gain from the development is worth more than a 11-14 pick would be.
If we win the lotto (top 3) then woo-hoo
If we get 11-14 then we have a very weak draft and the player likely will not be more than a prospect.
The miami pick will likely be in the same range.
We would save a roster spot and cap money.

Just win...

I don't think anyone is advocating tanking but missing the pick would be disapointing. Especially considering that if we do miss the pick, it will most likely be by 3 wins or less. I think the ideal situation would be to be the 10th worst team.

My sentiments exactly. To make matters worse, the pick would be going to a team in our conference, that in the future could be battling with us for a playoff spot. A lot of the players in the draft seem to have boom or bust potential. It would be a shame if with the 11 pick the Clippers drafted a player like Summers and he turned out to be the next Caron Butler (or insert your own hypothetical). Besides, even if our wildest fantasies came true and the Wolves made a miracle stretch that made them the 8th seed, does getting swept by the Lakers in the first round really help these young players long term confidence? The fact of the matter is, the imprivement is nice but we are still along ways a way. We need to upgrade at 3 positions. That pick is the easiest and most cost effective way to upgrade one of them.

Here's a thought---

If this is something we don't want to risk, what if we offered the Clippers Miami's pick this year for the rights to our pick back? This way th Clippers are almost guaranteed to get a mid-first round pick and the Wolves can go about their winning ways.

[Basti]

I am content with missing the playoffs and losing the pick. What we gain from the development is worth more than a 11-14 pick would be.
If we win the lotto (top 3) then woo-hoo
If we get 11-14 then we have a very weak draft and the player likely will not be more than a prospect.
The miami pick will likely be in the same range.
We would save a roster spot and cap money.

Just win...

I don't think anyone is advocating tanking but missing the pick would be disapointing. Especially considering that if we do miss the pick, it will most likely be by 3 wins or less. I think the ideal situation would be to be the 10th worst team.

My sentiments exactly. To make matters worse, the pick would be going to a team in our conference, that in the future could be battling with us for a playoff spot. A lot of the players in the draft seem to have boom or bust potential. It would be a shame if with the 11 pick the Clippers drafted a player like Summers and he turned out to be the next Caron Butler (or insert your own hypothetical). Besides, even if our wildest fantasies came true and the Wolves made a miracle stretch that made them the 8th seed, does getting swept by the Lakers in the first round really help these young players long term confidence? The fact of the matter is, the imprivement is nice but we are still along ways a way. We need to upgrade at 3 positions. That pick is the easiest and most cost effective way to upgrade one of them.

Here's a thought---

If this is something we don't want to risk, what if we offered the Clippers Miami's pick this year for the rights to our pick back? This way th Clippers are almost guaranteed to get a mid-first round pick and the Wolves can go about their winning ways.

one playoff series>>>3 years of mediocrity. I mean we can count the rotation players on one hand that have played in the postseason.

I'm not saying we'll make the postseason but if it came down to either finishing with the ~10th worst record in a weak draft or getting into the playoffs and getting swept I'm all for the latter. and it should give them something to build upon and make them hungrier.