Western Conference · Northwest
ESPN standings data retrieved October 6, 2026. NBA comparisons use the completed 2025–26 regular season. Each upcoming fixture labels preseason or regular-season status.
Minnesota Timberwolves2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 118.0 | 7 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 44.1 | 13 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 26.1 | 16 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 14.1 | 19 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.7 | 12 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 5.8 | 2 / 30 |
| FG% | 48.1% | 9 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 37.0% | 6 / 30 |
| FT% | 75.2% | 29 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 55.9% | 6 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 12.4% | 18 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.285 | 7 / 30 |
ESPN team totals and game box scores checked October 6. NBA season averages and ranks use 2025–26; preseason game results are shown separately. Ranks are within the league, with ties sharing a rank; a lower turnover rate is better. Season offensive rebound rate needs opponent defensive-rebound totals, which this feed does not supply. A dash means unavailable. This game’s offensive rebound rate uses the opponent’s actual rebounds.
eFG% gives a made three its extra value. Turnover rate estimates the share of plays lost before a shot. Offensive rebound rate is the share of available offensive rebounds collected. Free-throw pressure is FTA/FGA. The calculations are (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM)/FGA; TOV/(FGA + 0.44 × FTA + TOV); OREB/(OREB + opponent DREB); and FTA/FGA.
ESPN’s 2025-26 standings snapshot, checked October 6, puts Minnesota Timberwolves at 49-33. That profile contains 118.0 points scored and 114.6 conceded per game, a +3.4 average margin. The scoring average is 7 of 30 in this league snapshot. The positive margin supports the record, but the next test is whether control survives against a stronger opponent. These are completed 2025–26 totals; 2026–27 preseason results are kept separate.
The next scheduled test is 
Indiana Pacers on 2026-10-07. Our test is possession quality. Compare effective shooting, turnover rate, offensive rebounding and free-throw pressure; preseason rotation changes can distort all four. Look for repeated advantages through different lineup combinations before carrying a final margin into a regular-season forecast.
Article cutoff 2026-10-03
Last season 49-33 | 6th in the West | Conference semifinals loss to San Antonio, 4-2
2025-26 efficiency 115.6 offense | 112.5 defense | +3.1 net per 100 possessions
Minnesota finished sixth at 49-33, eliminated Denver and lost to San Antonio in six games. Its eighth-ranked defense was a more established advantage than its 13th-ranked offense. Anthony Edwards could produce difficult baskets, but the roster needed another creator who could give him more possessions that began with an advantage.
Tim Connelly acquired LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga while moving Julius Randle, Naz Reid and Mike Conley. Ball can initiate the offense and find Edwards away from the ball. That matters because Edwards made 49.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes last season, although the sample was 139 attempts. Kuminga supplies athleticism at forward and an opportunity to build a more defined role.
The concern is what Minnesota traded away from the frontcourt. Randle supplied regular-season scoring and Reid supplied flexible big-man minutes. Rudy Gobert remains essential to the paint defense, and the new roster has less room for him to miss time or lose effectiveness. Ball's availability and defensive fit also matter. Connelly improved creation, but left the replacement of dependable size partly to development and smaller combinations.
Projected finish is fifth in the West. We credit the new offensive partnership while leaving room for the fit to settle. Minnesota has a higher playoff ceiling than that place might suggest if Ball stays available and Edwards gets easier shots. The regular-season projection is more cautious because thinner frontcourt depth can cost ordinary games long before the best lineup is ready.
| Date / time | Sport | Matchup | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-07 6:00 PM CT | NBA | Minnesota Timberwolves @ Indiana PacersStats & matchup analysis → | Preseason · neutral site |
| 2026-10-10 7:00 PM CT | NBA | Minnesota Timberwolves @ Miami HeatStats & matchup analysis → | Preseason |
| 2026-10-12 6:30 PM CT | NBA | Minnesota Timberwolves @ New York KnicksStats & matchup analysis → | Preseason |
| 2026-10-14 7:00 PM CT | NBA | Detroit Pistons @ Minnesota TimberwolvesStats & matchup analysis → | Preseason |
| 2026-10-16 7:00 PM CT | NBA | Minnesota Timberwolves @ Chicago BullsStats & matchup analysis → | Preseason |
| 2026-10-21 6:30 PM CT | NBA | Minnesota Timberwolves @ Miami HeatStats & matchup analysis → | Regular season |
| 2026-10-23 6:00 PM CT | NBA | Minnesota Timberwolves @ Orlando MagicStats & matchup analysis → | Regular season |
| 2026-10-25 6:00 PM CT | NBA | Toronto Raptors @ Minnesota TimberwolvesStats & matchup analysis → | Regular season |
| 2026-10-26 6:00 PM CT | NBA | Minnesota Timberwolves @ Cleveland CavaliersStats & matchup analysis → | Regular season |
A matching published game video is not available in the verified archive yet.
