nba minnesota timberwolves schedule: Why This Season Is Different

nba minnesota timberwolves schedule: Why This Season Is Different

If you’ve lived in the Twin Cities for more than a minute, you know the drill. We usually spend the winter bracing for the cold and hoping the Wolves don’t break our hearts by Christmas. But honestly? Things feel different now. Ever since that deep playoff run, the nba minnesota timberwolves schedule isn’t just a list of dates on a fridge; it’s a map of a team that finally expects to be at the top of the food chain.

Anthony Edwards is basically a global icon at this point. Rudy Gobert is still patrolling the paint like he owns the deed to the restricted area. And after the massive Karl-Anthony Towns trade for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, the chemistry experiment is in full swing.

The 2025-26 season isn't just about showing up. It’s about 28 national TV games—tied for the second-most in the entire league. That’s a lot of eyes on Target Center.

The Brutal Truth About the 2025-26 Schedule

Look, the NBA did Minnesota no favors with the early travel. They kicked things off on the road against Portland back in October, which was actually the first time in franchise history they started a season at the Moda Center.

The schedule makers love drama. We saw that immediately with a Christmas Day rematch against the Denver Nuggets. It was the second year in a row the Wolves played on the "big stage" of December 25th, and let’s be real, the rivalry with Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets is the best thing going in the Western Conference right now.

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Key Stretches to Watch

If you're looking at the nba minnesota timberwolves schedule to plan your life, pay attention to February. The team has a massive six-game homestand from February 2nd through February 22nd.

That’s a huge opportunity.

When you aren't living out of a suitcase for three weeks, you tend to stack wins. However, they pay for it in March. There’s a four-game road gauntlet from March 10th to March 15th where they have to play the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, and Thunder back-to-back-to-back-to-back. That’s basically a playoff preview every single night.

Where to Actually Watch the Games

This is where it gets kinda confusing for the casual fan. The old Bally Sports days are dead. Now, we're looking at the FanDuel Sports Network.

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  • Local Games: Most of the 82-game slate is on FanDuel Sports Network North.
  • The National Mix: You've got games spread across ESPN, ABC, NBC, Prime Video, and Peacock.
  • Streaming: If you’re a cord-cutter, Prime Video is actually a huge player this year. They’re hosting seven Wolves games, including some big Friday night matchups.

I’ve had people ask me if they need five different subscriptions to see Ant dunk. Sorta. If you have a traditional cable package or Fubo, you'll get most of them. But those Peacock-exclusive games? You’re gonna have to shell out for the app if you want to see them take on the Warriors or the Grizzlies on those specific Monday nights.

Rivalries and Must-See Matchups

The nba minnesota timberwolves schedule is littered with "revenge" games. The obvious one is any time Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder come to town. West Group A in the Emirates NBA Cup was a total bloodbath this year with the Wolves, Thunder, Suns, Kings, and Jazz all fighting for that Vegas trip in December.

And then there's the Knicks.

Whenever Jalen Brunson and—it still feels weird to say—Karl-Anthony Towns come to Target Center, the energy is different. People forget that the KAT trade wasn't just about moving a star; it was about changing the entire identity of how this team plays. Julius Randle brings a certain "bully ball" style that the Wolves haven't really had since the Kevin Garnett era.

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Back-to-Back Challenges

The Wolves have 13 back-to-back sets this year. That’s actually one less than last season, which is a small victory for Rudy Gobert’s knees.

  1. Five are Home-to-Home (easy).
  2. Six are Road-to-Road (brutal).
  3. Two are the "plane ride from hell" Away-to-Home transitions.

Coach Chris Finch has been pretty vocal about managing minutes, but with the West being as tight as it is, you can’t really afford to "load manage" your way into a play-in spot. Every game counts when the difference between the 2nd seed and the 7th seed is usually three games.

Predicting the Finish Line

Most analysts, like Kevin Pelton over at ESPN, had the Wolves winning around 43 or 44 games. Honestly? That feels low. This team won 56 games two years ago and stayed right in the hunt last year despite the roster shakeup.

The 2025-26 nba minnesota timberwolves schedule ends on April 12th at home against the New Orleans Pelicans. If things go according to plan, that game shouldn't even matter because they'll have a top-four seed locked up.

If you're planning on heading to a game, the Saturday and Sunday home slots are the most frequent, with 15 weekend games at Target Center. It’s a much more fan-friendly schedule than we’ve seen in the past.

What you should do next:
Check the remaining Friday night slots on your calendar. Since Amazon Prime Video has taken over a chunk of the broadcasting rights, those Friday games against teams like the Lakers and Warriors are the highest production value you'll see all year. If you're looking for tickets, aim for the mid-February homestand when the team is most likely to be in a rhythm and healthy. Keep an eye on the injury report for Mike Conley specifically; the veteran’s availability on those 13 back-to-backs usually dictates whether the offense stays fluid or turns into an isolation struggle.