3. Minnesota Timberwolves (24-15)
We shouldn't be all that surprised by how good the Minnesota Timberwolves have been this season, considering this was a team that had a good showing in the brief stint in last year's NBA playoffs. After all, two offseasons ago this was a team that made an all-in move for Rudy Gobert. Even though it didn't seem to work last season, there was still hope that the team would be able to push the right buttons heading into the 2023–24 NBA season. And perhaps that's what we've seen so far this year from the Wolves.
Still, what this team has done to remain atop of the Western Conference standings for the majority of this season is going to be viewed as somewhat surprising (and impressive) across the league. Much like many of the other top-tier teams in the West, the big question for the Wolves is whether or not they will be able to carry their regular season success into the playoffs.
While that very much remains a question that has yet to be answered, it's hard to view anything that the Wolves do or don't do in the postseason as a failure. The Wolves are going to gain some valuable experience and are going to grow as a team no matter what happens in the playoffs. It is unfortunate that Karl-Anthony Townes could miss the rest of the season due to injury, which could completely alter this team's entire postseason outlook.