NBA Power Rankings: 7 teams enter season as legitimate title threats

Last season: 36-46; projected 2019-20: 40-42

The Minnesota Timberwolves are essentially running it back after missing the playoffs for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons in 2018-19. They are led by big man Karl-Anthony Towns, with Robert Covington on board to set the defensive tone for a full season.

Jake Layman appears to have won a starting spot alongside Andrew Wiggins on the wings, with Jeff Teague (still) at the point. Rookie Jarrett Culver will get his opportunities to move up the rotation, as will second-year wing Josh Okogie.

The problem for the Timberwolves is two-fold. They play in the Western Conference, for one, and for another, the roster is a sort of jambalaya, with Towns, Covington and mostly a collection of spare parts. Wiggins is in his own category as a max player who has seldom performed like a max player.

The Wolves were 2-3 in the preseason (1-3 against NBA competition) and enter the season mostly healthy, with backup wing Treveon Graham (hip contusion) listed as day-to-day.

Last season: 48-34; projected 2019-20: 41-41

For the San Antonio Spurs, this might be the season the streak finally ends. San Antonio last missed the playoffs during the Clinton administration — 1997 — and have gone to the postseason an NBA-record-tying 22 straight seasons. Getting past the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers to stand alone atop the list might be too much to ask, though.

The Spurs still have LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, so they’ll get points in the mid-range, and the return of Dejounte Murray should give the backcourt defense a lift. Indications are that fourth-year big man Jakob Poeltl will get a shot to win the center job and allow Aldridge to play his preferred 4 spot.

Frontcourt depth appears to be a potential sore spot. Rudy Gay can run some 4 in small lineups, but they may ask Drew Eubanks and Chimezie Metu to provide more minutes at the 5 than they are ready to handle.

San Antonio was 2-3 in the preseason, winning its last two, and have a clean injury report heading into the season opener.

Last season: 42-40; projected 2019-20: 42-40

The Orlando Magic finally made their first post-Dwight Howard playoff appearance last spring, but their offseason appears to have them set to essentially march in place this season.

They will run back the same starting group as a year ago, with a healthy Markelle Fultz to play a backup spot at the point and veteran Al-Farouq Aminu aboard to add some frontcourt grit and depth.

But this is essentially the same roster that rode a career year by Nikola Vucevic to 42 wins. If he drops off, even slightly, things could go sideways quickly in the Magic Kingdom.

Orlando was 3-3 in the preseason, closing with three straight losses. The only word on the injury front is that Evan Fournier has been experiencing back spasms but expects to be available for the season opener.