NBA Power Rankings: Are the New York Knicks equipped to take down Boston Celtics?

Are the New York Knicks the second-best team in the Eastern Conference at the midway point of the season?

Minnesota Timberwolves v New York Knicks
Minnesota Timberwolves v New York Knicks | Mitchell Leff/GettyImages
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2. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are a team that continues to defy the odds. Even though many expected them to be improved heading into this season, I'm not sure there is anyone who believed they'd be No. 1 in the Western Conference at the midway point of the year. Nevertheless, that's exactly where the Wolves find themselves at the moment. However, there could be some trouble on the horizon.

For the first time all season, the Wolves have shown some weaknesses here as of late. Since the start of the new year, the Wolves have dropped four of seven games. It's a small rough spot that the Wolves have found themselves in and it'll be interesting to see how this young team handles some adversity.

Either way, the Wolves are still in a fairly good spot heading into the second half of the season. They should be able to finish as a top 4 seed and, at the very least, will host a first-round playoff series. Who knows how far this team could realistically go in the playoffs but they've proven the future is bright.