The 2024-25 NBA schedule is out, and it’s time to dive into what it means for the Minnesota Timberwolves. We’re not talking about just any regular season here: this is the season where the Wolves aim to build on last year’s success and win their first-ever NBA title. But as any seasoned NBA fan knows, timing and order of games can sometimes make all the difference. So let’s take a look at how the Wolves’ schedule looks, especially against their three main Western Conference rivals: the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder and The Dallas Mavericks.
The Western Conference Landscape
Let’s be honest: When it comes to serious contenders in the West, the list is short. The Nuggets, Thunder, and Mavericks are the teams to watch. The Clippers? They’ve taken a step back, with Paul George leaving for Philadelphia. The rest of the conference hasn’t made any seismic moves, so it’s hard to see anyone outside of those four making a run to the Finals. Sure, Victor Wembanyama will make the Spurs harder to take down in his second season, and the return of Ja Morant could lift the Grizzlies out of the basement. Otherwise, it seems like more of the same, and if I had to bet now, it would be Minnesota, Denver, Dallas, or OKC representing the West in the Finals.
Of course, this is the NBA, and surprises happen. Few thought the fifth-seeded Mavericks would win the conference, but here we are. Yet in August, with the offseason dust almost settled, the Wolves appear poised to make some noise. But how does the schedule stack up against their biggest rivals? Let’s take a closer look.
Wolves vs. Mavericks: the Revenge Tour begins
If you’re a Timberwolves fan, you probably haven’t forgotten how last season ended: They were eliminated by the Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. NBA scheduling officials wasted no time in organizing a rematch. The Wolves will get their first chance against Dallas on October 29, which will be just the fourth game of the season. And here’s the good news: It’s a home game at Target Center, and the Wolves are coming off a two-day rest. Meanwhile, the Mavericks will be playing their second game in a row, having played Utah at home the night before. Advantage Wolves.
Next up is the highly anticipated Christmas game in Dallas. This game is shaping up to be a hot one. The Wolves just played Atlanta on December 23rd, so they’ll likely be heading straight to Texas, giving them plenty of time to settle in. The Mavericks will be in a similar rest situation, having played Portland at home on the 23rd. The Wolves may not have home court, but they have the motivation to get revenge, and you know Ant is going to want to put on a holiday show that will live on in the memory.
The last game against Dallas will be on January 22nd, also in Dallas. This game will play out quite similarly to the Christmas game. The Wolves will be coming off a game in Memphis, with a day of preparation, and the Mavericks will be back home with a day off after a road game in Charlotte.
With two of the three games in Dallas, the pressure will be on Minnesota to take charge early in the season and win that crucial home opener. If they can seize the opportunity (and the advantage of the rest), they can turn the tables and only need one game in Dallas to clinch the season series.
Wolves vs Nuggets: The rivalry intensifies
Now let’s talk about the Nuggets, the team the Wolves have faced in each of the last two playoff series. The first matchup between the Wolves and Nuggets will be on November 1st, just two days after the opening matchup against Dallas. That game will be at Target Center, and the Wolves will conclude a three-game homestand with a day off. Denver, on the other hand, will be coming off a grueling three-game road trip that included back-to-back games in Toronto and Brooklyn. They will have just one day off before heading to Minneapolis. This is a great opportunity for the Wolves to catch the Nuggets off guard and make an early statement.
The second game won’t take place until January 25, nearly three months later. This time, the Wolves will once again have a game against Dallas, but they will have two full days off before hosting Denver. Meanwhile, the Nuggets will have just one day off after their home game against Sacramento. Neither team is at a disadvantage, but being at home gives the Wolves a slight advantage.
Game 3 is in Denver on March 12. The Wolves will have two days off, having already played the Spurs at home. The Nuggets, meanwhile, will have played back-to-back games in Oklahoma City and will have just one day to recover before facing Minnesota. This is another time when the schedule could favor the Wolves, giving them a chance to steal a road game.
The final regular-season meeting between these two teams will be April 1 in Denver. The Wolves will have played Detroit at home and will have had a day off before traveling to the Mile High City. Denver, meanwhile, will be in the middle of a five-game homestand and well rested after a March 28 game against Utah. With Denver at home, the Wolves will need to play their best game.
Over the course of their seven-game playoff series, the Wolves and Nuggets have both shown an ability to win on the other team’s home court. Home court shouldn’t be as much of an issue as rest, and the first three of those four games should see Minnesota come in with fresher legs.
Wolves vs. Thunder: February’s critical period
The Thunder are the wild card out of the West, a young and hungry team that will only get better with experience. The first game between the Wolves and Thunder will be on New Year’s Eve in OKC. The Wolves will have played the Spurs two days earlier, so they should be fresh. The real test will come in February, when these two teams play each other three times in 11 days.
The game will begin on February 13th in Minnesota. Both teams will be playing their second game in a row, but the Wolves won’t have to travel, which will give them a slight advantage. Then, after the All-Star break, the two teams will meet on February 23rd and 24th in a home-and-home series. The Wolves will be coming off a game in Houston on the 21st, while the Thunder will have played in Utah that same night. It’s a grueling stretch for both teams, but if the Wolves can win two of three games, it could be a huge boost heading into the final stretch of the season.
The essentials
So, have the NBA schedules done the Wolves any favors? Nothing significant, but they haven’t disadvantaged them either. The matchups against Dallas, Denver and OKC are fairly even, with the Wolves getting some early-season rest but facing tough tests on the road later in the season.
Ultimately, it will all come down to the field. The Wolves have the talent to compete with anyone, but they will need to capitalize on the small advantages the schedule affords them. There are no excuses: This team is built to win now, and they will need to live up to their Western Conference rivals if they want to make a deep run in the playoffs.
It’s a long season and anything can happen, but if the Wolves can come out on top in these key games, they’ll be in a great position to make the playoffs. So buckle up, Wolves fans, this is going to be one hell of a season. Let’s see what this team is made of.
