Outside of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s youthful resurgence, Minnesota’s extended run at the top of the Western Conference standings has been the biggest surprise in the NBA this season. The Timberwolves bowed out in five games to the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of last year’s playoffs, finishing the season as an eighth seed. Minnesota has already dispatched the Spurs on two separate occasions, including a 94-102 loss in December where five Timberwolves scored in double figures and Rudy Gobert pulled down 21 rebounds.