NBA Power Rankings Week 17: A new number one and a lot of injuries

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 14: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets in the second quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on April 14, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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. 15-42. Previous: 25th. Minnesota Timberwolves. 24. team. 86

Last Week: Beat Chicago Bulls 121-117, Lost to Brooklyn Nets 127-97, Lost to Milwaukee Bucks 130-105, Beat Miami Heat 119-111

This Week: 4/18 at LA Clippers, 4/20 at Sacramento Kings, 4/21 at Sacramento Kings, 4/24 at Utah Jazz

The Minnesota Timberwolves are finally healthy and showing some of the promise that comes with pairing two max-contract players with the first overall pick. The sample size is obviously small, but with Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell in the lineup this year the Minnesota Timberwolves have a winning record (5-4).

This week, Towns averaged 25.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. He hit 63.6 percent of his 5.5 3-point attempts per game. He is playing with a vigor that hasn’t been seen in far too long and the Wolves are coalescing in front of our eyes. Anthony Edwards is still struggling with efficiency (shooting splits of .371/.333/.750) but is still a walking highlight. He just needs to get to know who the new owner of the team is a little more.

The Wolves have played in tough circumstances this week, making the choice to move the times of their games because of the civil unrest brought on by the tragic shooting of Duante Wright. Yet again the sports world paused for something that was more important in a city that was hurting. Nothing can make right what happened that day, but the world has to be better.