1 New Year’s resolution for every team in 2024: Northwest Division

It is that time of the year again. Everyone everywhere is thinking about their New Year’s resolutions and what they need to do to better themselves as the calendars switch over. The National Basketball Association is no different, as players, teams, general managers, and franchise owners all look at their NBA needs and to-do lists, entering 2024. Here is perhaps the biggest need for each NBA team in the Northwest Division:

Timberwolves Resolution: Balancing winning with managing minutes.

Minnesota needs… to balance the desire to secure the one seed and the need to manage minutes and stay healthy before the playoffs. The Wolves are one of the few teams that likely do not need to consider any trades/roster changes and have clearly been one of the best teams in the NBA this season.

Their 9-man playoff rotation is likely already set and the big prioritization will be to enter the playoffs healthy. Notoriously, Minnesota played their first-round series against Denver last year without Naz Reid or Jaden McDaniels, who both had season-ending injuries. Additionally, Karl-Anthony Towns only played 29 games last season due to various injuries.

If they can keep their 9-man rotation intact for the playoffs, there is no doubt that they are a title contender. At the same time, getting the #1 seed in the Western Conference will be extremely important. Currently the Wolves are 13-1 at home, which is good for the 2nd best home record in the entire league.

Additionally, the Denver Nuggets proved how valuable having a home-court advantage is by their title-run last season when they went 10-1 at home in the playoffs. They started out 2-0 in their first three series which certainly helps put the pressure on the opponent. Minnesota will want to try to replicate that, but once again it is a balance between pushing hard for the #1 seed and keeping players fresh and healthy.