After imploding in the NBA Cup group stage, the Minnesota Timberwolves missed the third annual in-season tournament and have instead been given two additional regular-season games that will be played during next week’s Cup playoffs.
Minnesota will play at Golden State on Friday, Dec. 12, at 9 p.m. CT, and then host Sacramento on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. CT.
While the Timberwolves won’t be competing for the award money in the NBA Cup playoffs, they do get a nice consolation prize with two games against lesser opponents. Golden State is 10-10 and struggling, while the Kings are 5-15 and one of the worst teams in the NBA this season.
That said, the Timberwolves have yet to beat a team with a winning record this season. They’re 0-7 against teams above .500, and 10-1 against teams with records under .500. They also embarrassingly lost to the Kings last week when they blew a late lead in the fourth quarter and fell in overtime.
That loss came after the Wolves blew an eight-point lead in the final 50 seconds of the fourth quarter against Phoenix. Had they not collapsed in Phoenix, they would’ve likely advanced to the NBA Cup playoffs and been set to face Oklahoma City in the semifinals on Dec. 12.
At 10-8 overall, the Wolves get another chance to earn their first win against a winning team when they host the Boston Celtics, who are also 10-8, at 4 p.m. CT Sunday in Minneapolis.
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