In 2024–25, the Minnesota Timberwolves began their first NBA season since 2014 without Karl-Anthony Towns on the roster. The trade with the New York Knicks, completed at the last minute of the previous offseason, sparked skepticism among fans and analysts alike. After all, Towns was coming off one of his best seasons and had helped lead the Wolves to just their second Western Conference Finals appearance in franchise history.<\/p>
However, after a few months of inconsistent performances and uneven results, the trade ultimately proved to be the right move. Minnesota found its rhythm down the stretch on both ends of the floor, finishing sixth in the West with a 49–33 record, avoiding the Play-In Tournament. After the All-Star break, the Timberwolves went 18–8, boasting the third-best offense and fifth-best net rating in the league.<\/p>
In the playoffs, they opened against the favored Los Angeles Lakers, who featured the newly formed duo of Luka Dončić and LeBron James. The Wolves weren’t intimidated and steamrolled the Lakers 4–1, showing remarkable poise and maturity when closing games.<\/p>
Their next challenge wasn’t easy either — the Golden State Warriors, retooled after acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. Despite losing Game 1, the Wolves benefited from Stephen Curry’s injury, which sidelined him for the rest of the series. Minnesota capitalized and won in five games.<\/p>