Spurs, Grizzlies added to Timberwolves schedule after In-Season Tournament miss

The top team in the West gets games against the bottom two teams in the standings.

Failing to advance to the knockout rounds of the In-Season Tournament comes with the bonus of being awarded games against two of the worst teams in the NBA. 

Instead of facing the likes of the Lakers, Pelicans, Kings or Suns – Western Conference teams that advanced to the knockout rounds – the Minnesota Timberwolves will face the Spurs and Grizzlies. 

Victor Wembanyama and the 3-14 Spurs will visit Target Center in Minneapolis next Wednesday, Dec. 6, and the 3-13 Grizzlies will host the Timberwolves in Memphis on Friday, Dec. 8. 

One way or another the Timberwolves were going to play two games between Dec. 3-10, the week reserved for the inaugural In-Season Tournament bracket play, so the fact that Minnesota gets to face the two worst teams in the Western Conference is a gift from the basketball gods. 

Nov 10, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) shake hands after exchanging jerseys at Frost Bank Center.  / Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

The Timberwolves went 3-1 in the group play stage of the tournament, finishing second in West Group C to the Kings, who went 4-0 including a win over Minnesota last Friday. 

At 3-1, the Timberwolves were tied with Phoenix for the lone wild-card spot in the West, but Phoenix won the points differential tiebreaker. The Suns outscored their four opponents by a total of 34 points while the Timberwolves broke even, scoring and allowing 438 points in four games. 

Timberwolves overcome Anthony Edwards injury to top Thunder