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'The Bubble': Timberwolves are middle of the pack in new power rankings

Minnesota dropped one spot, from No. 13 to No. 14, in The Athletic's latest power rankings.

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch and guard Anthony Edwards look on during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center in Minneapolis on March 9, 2025.
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch and guard Anthony Edwards look on during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center in Minneapolis on March 9, 2025. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
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How do the Minnesota Timberwolves compare to the best NBA teams? They're in "The Bubble," according to The Athletic.

The Timberwolves dropped one spot in The Athletic's latest power rankings released on Tuesday, from No. 13 to No. 14, following a week in which they split with the New Orleans Pelicans and lost on the road to the Indiana Pacers. In addition to the power rankings, The Athletic also places teams into five tiers — "Top Contenders, In a Good Place, The Bubble, Not the Tier to Fear and Basement Floor — and Minnesota fell in "The Bubble," which the organization says is "not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack." It's perhaps an appropriate distinction for the Timberwolves.

In this edition of The Athletic's power rankings, reporter Law Murray dives into how each team's rotations have changed throughout the course of the season. In the case of the Wolves, Murray writes they really haven't, though he notes that Donte DiVincenzo may have been the long-term starting point guard had he not suffered the turf toe injury as well as acknowledging the emergence of Jaylen Clark, who's remained in the rotation as the Wolves have returned to full health.

Right above the Wolves at No. 13 in the rankings are the Los Angeles Clippers, who Minnesota is currently right behind in the Western Conference standings and are the only other team in "The Bubble" category. After that, the rankings jump up to the second tier — "In a Good Place" — and the first team in that group is the Detroit Pistons at No. 12. The Milwaukee Bucks come in at No. 11; the Memphis Grizzlies, another team the Wolves are chasing in the West, at No. 10; the Denver Nuggets at No. 9; the New York Knicks at No. 8; the Indiana Pacers at No. 7; and the Los Angeles Lakers come in at No. 6.

The top-five teams are in a category titled "Top Contenders." The first team in that grouping is the Golden State Warriors, who have been surging since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. They're also a team the Wolves are hoping to catch to get into a top-six seed in the West and avoid the play-in tournament (Minnesota is currently a game back). The Houston Rockets come in at No. 4; the Boston Celtics at No. 3; the Cleveland Cavaliers at No. 2; and the Oklahoma City Thunder take the top spot in the rankings, trading places with the Cavs from the previous rankings from The Athletic.

Frankly, "The Bubble" seems pretty appropriate for the Wolves at the current time. They've shown enough to believe they can be a very good team, but they've also shown they can lose to anybody. The true test will come soon in the playoffs.

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