Timberwolves host Clippers in play-in game for No. 7 seed in West

Wolves prep for post-season, Finch gets extension

The Minnesota Timberwolves are gearing up to potentially earn a playoff spot for just the second time since 2004, and they’ve secured some stability with the coaching staff in the process.

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Timberwolves will take the court at Target Center shortly after 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, and the path is self-explanatory.

Beat the L.A. Clippers, and the Timberwolves are in the NBA Playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. Lose, and they get one more chance on their home court Friday night to keep their season alive. That would be against the winner of the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, who meet Wednesday night.

Win Tuesday, and the Timberwolves don’t have to waste any time watching the Spurs and Pelicans. Tuesday night marks the biggest game at Target Center since the Timberwolves faced the Houston Rockets in the opening round of the 2017 playoffs. That squad, led by Karl-Anthony Towns, Jimmy Butler and Tom Thibodeau, lost in five games to the Rockets.

The Timberwolves host a Clippers’ squad that has beaten them in three out of four games this season. They lost to the Clippers 126-115 on Nov. 3. Two nights later, the Timberwolves lost 104-84. They also lost to the Clippers 129-102 on Nov. 13.

The lone regular season win against the Clippers came on Jan. 3, 122-104 in L.A. on a night where they led wire-to-wire. Anthony Edwards led six players in double figures with 28 points that night. It was a night where they didn’t have Towns.

It also marks a homecoming for former Hopkins and Gophers’ star Amir Coffey, who is having a standout season with the Clippers. He’s started 30 games and played in 69 in his third NBA season, and is averaging nine points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He had a career-high 35 points in 42 minutes just two days ago.

For the Timberwolves to get a win and lock up a playoff spot, the formula is simple: Their stars need to play like starts. Edwards needs to have a fast start, Towns needs to stay out of foul trouble and D’Angelo Russell needs to make shots when he gets opportunities.

"This game is important. I feel like this is the biggest game of my career since I’ve been playing basketball. It’s really important, I feel like we’ve got to come out and do what we gotta do," Edwards said after practice Monday.

The Timberwolves have been a franchise plagued by losing and instability. For just the fourth time since their 2004 run to the Western Conference Finals, they won at least 40 games in the regular season. Chris Finch and his coaching staff received multi-year extensions on Monday, and deservedly so. Just days before the start of training camp, owner Glen Taylor fired Gersson Rosas. Sachin Gupta now leads the front office, and Taylor is transitioning ownership to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.

For the first time in years, it feels like the Timberwolves are getting stability and consistency at all levels of the franchise. It’s showing on the court, and they can prove that by taking the next step and earning a playoff spot Tuesday night.