NBA Power Rankings Week 5: How good are the Utah Jazz?

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 21: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz in action during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Vivint Smart Home Arena on January 21, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

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Previous: 29th. Minnesota Timberwolves. 27. team. 86. . 4-11

Last Week: Lost to Atlanta Hawks 108-97, Lost to Orlando Magic 97-96, Lost to Atlanta Hawks 116-98, Beat New Orleans Pelicans 120-110

This Week: 1/25 at Golden State Warriors, 1/27 at Golden State Warriors, 1/29 vs. Philadelphia 76ers

For the Minnesota Timberwolves to end the week on a win says more about the struggles of the New Orleans Pelicans than it does about anything Minnesota did. The Timberwolves were still without Karl-Anthony Towns and he was joined on the sidelines by D’Angelo Russell. Naz Reid, Anthony Edwards and Jarrett Culver combined for 54 points, capping off as strange a victory as Minnesota is likely to see this season.

Minnesota almost got another win earlier this week before Cole Anthony stole it at the buzzer. Combine that with two double-digit losses to the Atlanta Hawks and the week for the Timberwolves was as unfortunately forgettable as most of the recent years have been. The fact that a game where the No. 1 overall pick shots 35.7 percent from the field counts as a good outing tells you all you need to know about the season so far.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will continue to be impossible to evaluate as long as Towns and Russell bounce in and out of the lineup. Even with them around, wins will be hard to come by but at least it will become clearer how they all fit together so that the Timberwolves can better plan down the line.