The Minnesota Timberwolves are already postseason-bound, but their 122-108 loss to the surging Charlotte Hornets on Sunday delayed their chance to lock in an outright playoff berth.
Playing without Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves were led by Julius Randle’s 26 points and eight rebounds, along with Bones Hyland’s 18.
LaMelo Ball paced the Hornets with 35 points, while Miles Bridges added 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as Charlotte secured its fourth straight win.
Minnesota is aiming to build momentum heading into the postseason, but injuries have slowed their progress. They have dropped four of their last five games since Jaden McDaniels was sidelined with a left knee injury.
Edwards also missed the game, marking his eighth absence in the team’s last 10 contests due to lingering right knee pain.
Minnesota Timberwolves Playoff Picture: Updated Standings
Minnesota, with a 46-32 record, sits in sixth place in the Western Conference, three games ahead of Phoenix (43-35) and above the play-in cutoff with four games remaining.
They are also three games behind the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets, who have already clinched a guaranteed playoff spot.
The Timberwolves are likely to remain in their current position, which would secure them a direct playoff berth. A drop into the play-in remains unlikely unless injuries continue to take a toll.
As it stands, the play-in bracket includes the No. 8 LA Clippers, who will face the No. 7 seed — either the Timberwolves or Suns — while the No. 9 Portland Trail Blazers and No. 10 Golden State Warriors are also in contention.
The race for positioning remains crucial. The sixth seed is currently lined up to face the LA Lakers, who may be without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in the first round.
Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets are still battling for the No. 3 seed as the regular season winds down.
Minnesota Timberwolves Playoff Picture: Remaining Schedule
The Timberwolves have four games left, with their next three on the road. They will face the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, then travel to take on the Houston Rockets in a potential playoff preview on Friday after a day’s rest.
They will close out their regular season at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
According to Tankathon, the Timberwolves have the seventh-easiest remaining schedule, while Phoenix — which is chasing them for the sixth seed — has the third-toughest.
