The top seed in the Western Conference is still up for grabs entering the final week of the 2023-24 NBA season.
The Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Thunder are in a three-team race for the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the West playoffs. Minnesota and Denver enter the homestretch of the season tied for first, while Oklahoma City sits just one game back.
The Timberwolves have been one of the best teams in the NBA all season. Anthony Edwards has emerged as a certified superstar, while Defensive Player of the Year favorite Rudy Gobert has anchored the league’s top-ranked defense.
All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns has been sidelined since the beginning of March, but he is expected to make his return before the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Minnesota may have to pursue the No. 1 seed in the West without KAT, but it appears it will be ready to compete at full strength once the playoffs get underway.
How can the Timberwolves claim the No. 1 seed in the West? The Sporting News breaks down their playoff scenarios below.
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Timberwolves playoff scenarios 2024
The Timberwolves enter the final week of the season with one massive game remaining on their schedule. Minnesota will face off against the Nuggets on Wednesday, April 10, which could decide the No. 1 seed in the West.
The Timberwolves have won two of three games against Denver, so a win on Wednesday would clinch the tiebreaker. If the Nuggets win and split the season series, the tiebreaker would come down to division win-loss percentage (because both teams are in the Northwest Division). That scenario still favors Minnesota because it has a better division record (12-3) than Denver (8-6).
The Timberwolves also own the tiebreaker over the Thunder. They split their season series, but even with a loss to Denver, Minnesota and Oklahoma City would finish with the same Northwest Division record. The next tiebreaker would be a better overall conference record, and the Timberwolves (37-13) hold that over the Thunder (33-16).
All that to say, in almost any scenario where Minnesota is tied for the No. 1 seed, it will claim the top spot.
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Timberwolves standings 2024
The Timberwolves are tied with the Nuggets for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with a 54-24 record. The Thunder are also in the hunt, only one game back from Minnesota and Denver.
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
| 1 | Timberwolves | 54-24 | — |
| 2 | Nuggets | 54-24 | — |
| 3 | Thunder | 53-25 | 1 |
| 4 | Clippers | 50-28 | 4 |
| 5 | Mavericks | 48-30 | 6 |
| 6 | Suns | 46-32 | 8 |
| 7 | Pelicans | 46-32 | 8 |
| 8 | Kings | 45-33 | 9 |
| 9 | Lakers | 45-34 | 9.5 |
| 10 | Warriors | 43-35 | 11 |
Timberwolves remaining schedule
The Timberwolves have four games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season to decide their playoff seeding.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| April 9 | vs. Wizards | 8 p.m. |
| April 10 | at Nuggets | 10 p.m. |
| April 12 | vs. Hawks | 8 p.m. |
| April 14 | vs. Suns | 3:30 p.m. |
