New Orleans Pelicans

Playoff watch: Challenging week ahead for Wolves

Published Mar. 12, 2018 12:02 p.m. ET

The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to end a 13-year NBA playoff drought. The Wolves are currently in good position to make the postseason, but nothing's written in stone just yet.

With the season ending in a month (April 11), here's the latest look at Minnesota's playoff chances and the week ahead.

IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY

Playoff drought over! Minnesota would be the No. 5 seed and play New Orleans, with the Pelicans having home-court advantage.

STANDINGS

The first two seeds in the Western Conference are all but locked up. But the Wolves are one of eight teams battling for the third through eight seeds. Only 3 1/2 games separate Portland, currently in third place, and Denver and Utah, which are tied for ninth.

Here's the how the playoff race currently shapes up including game remaining (GR) for each team:

TEAM	W	L	PCT	GR
Houston	52	14	.788	16
Golden State	51	16	.761	15
Portland	40	26	.606	16
New Orleans	38	28	.576	16
Minnesota	39	29	.574	14
Oklahoma City	39	29	.574	14
San Antonio	37	29	.561	16
LA Clippers	36	29	.554	17
Denver	37	30	.552	15
Utah	37	30	.552	15

THIS WEEK

It could be a good week to catch New Orleans, which has a tough slate, playing three playoff teams in four days (although two of those are at home). The Thunder also play four games, the latter two against teams in the postseason hunt. Utah has a good chance to get into the top eight by the end of the week as it plays three games against teams on the wrong side of the playoff line and all at home.

Portland: Monday - vs. Miami; Thursday - vs. Cleveland; Saturday - vs. Detroit; Sunday - at L.A. Clippers

New Orleans: Tuesday - vs. Charlotte; Thursday -- at Spurs; Saturday -- vs. Houston; Sunday -- vs. Boston

Minnesota: Tuesday -- at Washington; Saturday -- at San Antonio; Sunday -- vs. Houston

Oklahoma City: Monday -- vs. Sacramento; Tuesday -- at Atlanta; Friday -- vs. L.A. Clippers; Sunday -- at Toronto

San Antonio: Monday -- at Houston; Tuesday -- vs. Orlando; Thursday -- vs. New Orleans; Saturday -- vs. Minnesota

L.A. Clippers: Tuesday -- at Chicago; Thursday -- vs. Houston; Friday -- at Oklahoma City; Sunday -- vs. Portland

Denver: Tuesday -- at L.A. Lakers; Thursday -- vs. Detroit; Saturday -- at Memphis

Utah: Tuesday -- vs. Detroit; Thursday -- vs. Phoenix; Saturday -- vs. Sacramento

THE WOLVES PERSPECTIVE

Minnesota has what can easily be considered a tough week. The Wolves start off at Washington (38-29, current 5 seed in East) then finish up with a back-to-back against the Spurs and Rockets. The first two of those games are on the road, where Minnesota is just 13-21 this season.

The Wolves fell to the Wizards at home 92-89 on Nov. 28 in their only matchup this season. Minnesota is 1-1 against San Antonio (losing on the road) and 0-3 vs. Houston.

PLAYOFF ODDS

The website playoffstatus.com currently calculates Minnesota's playoff chances for each seed as the following:

3 - 21 percent

4 - 26 percent

5 - 19 percent

6 - 13 percent

7 - 9 percent

8 - 6 percent

Out - 5 percent