NBA Mid-Season Grades: Celtics standout; Warriors, Lakers receive failing marks

Minnesota Timberwolves

The fact that the Minnesota Timberwolves are a top 3 team in the Western Conference standings at the midway point of the season is one of the bigger surprises in the NBA. Nevertheless, at this point, it's hard to deny that the Wolves are a dangerous team in the West. Considering how no one expected the Wolves to be at this point tells you everything you need to know about why this team is rewarded with a mid-season grade of an "A."

As far as the regular season is concerned, I'm not sure there's a team that is having a better year than the Wolves. The move for Rudy Gobert is continuing to pay off and Anthony Edwards looks like the next big superstar in the league. If Minnesota can even make the second round of the playoffs, this year has to be considered a big win for the franchise.

What the Wolves have been able to do this season is going to be viewed as the blueprint for many other middling teams. Just last year, that's exactly what the Wolves were. In the matter of one year, Minnesota appears to be a contender in the West. And they did it their way.

Grade: A