Kevin Love was asked about the Nets’ massive turnaround since the start of 2014 following his Timberwolves losing 114-99 in Brooklyn Sunday evening and couldn’t help but take a shot at the weaker Eastern Conference.
“They’re in the East,” Love said, drawing some laughs from the assembled reporters.
It’s understandable for Love to be a bit annoyed at the circumstances. The Nets are set to make the playoffs and potentially have homecourt advantage in round one with a record that’s only a couple of games better than Minnesota’s – while the Timberwolves have been playing out the string for a couple of weeks in the much more difficult Western Conference.
The Timberwolves are heading home without a playoff berth for the sixth time in Love’s six-year NBA career, and changes are coming in Minnesota. Coach Rick Adelman is all but certain to walk away at the end of the season, meaning a coaching search is on the horizon, and the talk about Love’s future in Minneapolis – he can opt out of his contract after next season – is only going to heat up.
So while Love’s comments were amusing, the Timberwolves’ situation is anything but amusing for them and their fans.
(Last week’s rankings in parentheses)
1. Spurs (1): As beat writer Jeff McDonald from the San Antonio Express-News noted on Twitter this weekend, the last time the Spurs lost, Crimea was still part of Russia. They’re up to 17 in a row.
2. Clippers (2): The Clippers had a scare when Blake Griffin went down with an injury in Saturday’s win over the Rockets, but it appears he’ll come out of it fine – and their title hopes will remain intact.
3. Thunder (7): After enduring multiple Russell Westbrook injury absences, the Thunder appear to have comfortably settled into the No. 2 seed out West.
4. Nets (3): After a pair of back-to-back overtime losses, the Nets rebounded with wins over Cleveland and Minnesota to stretch their home winning streak to 13 games.
5. Heat (10): It looked as if Miami lost its chance to grab homecourt advantage in the East with a loss to the Pacers in Indianapolis this past week. But two straight wins coupled with two straight Pacers losses have them back in the running.
6. Raptors (11): With three straight wins – including a couple of white-knucklers over the weekend against the Celtics and Magic – Toronto is holding on for dear life atop the Atlantic Division.
7. Bulls (8): It’s more and more likely the Nets and Bulls will face off in a first-round rematch – much to the delight of the Heat and Pacers, who would prefer to avoid one or both of them.
8. Portland (15): After appearing in danger of somehow sliding out of the playoffs, the return of LaMarcus Aldridge and three straight wins have Portland comfortably in fifth and close to locking up a spot.
9. Rockets (5): The news that Patrick Beverly won’t miss too much time and should be available for the playoffs after suffering a torn meniscus keeps the Rockets’ title hopes intact.
10. Mavericks (14): It’s a testament to the talents of Dirk Nowitzki and Rick Carlisle that this Dallas team has a real shot to make the playoffs in the loaded West.
11. Warriors (6): The injuries to David Lee and Andrew Bogut could make it very difficult for Golden State to hang onto a playoff spot – which would assuredly mean the end of Mark Jackson’s tenure in Oakland.
12. Suns (12): The Suns had a chance to gain serious ground out West, but instead inexplicably were blown out Sunday by the injury depleted Lakers – a truly dreadful loss.
13. Grizzlies (4): Memphis finds itself on the outside looking in after dropping games in Golden State and Portland – the kinds of losses a team on the fringes of the West playoff chase can’t afford to lose right now.
14. Pacers (9): There are a lot of issues with the Pacers, who got blown out by the Wizards and then lost to the hapless Cavaliers Sunday. Now, losing the top spot in the East – after making the No. 1 seed their goal all season long – is a real possibility.
15. Wizards (13): A couple of wins have the Wizards closer to locking up the sixth seed in the East, but the bigger issue is getting Nene healthy in time for the playoffs.
16. Bobcats (16): Steve Clifford is going to get the Bobcats into the playoffs with Chris Douglas-Roberts playing major minutes. Remarkable.
17. Timberwolves (17): Speaking of Love, he wouldn’t give the Nets any credit for holding him to 14 points on 5-for-14 shooting Sunday, claiming he was “exhausted” and “maybe I’m coming down with something.”
18. Knicks (22): It’s truly pathetic that the Knicks, who are 12 games under .500, still have a chance to make the playoffs in the East. Is it too late to give someone a bye?
19. Pelicans (19): The Pelicans keep winning behind strong play from Tyreke Evans and Anthony Davis. They’re not making the playoffs and won’t have their lottery pick, but it’s a bright future in New Orleans.
20. Nuggets (20): Some recent losses aside, the Nuggets seem to have stabilized under first-year coach Brian Shaw after a ton of injuries ruined any realistic chance they had of competing for a playoff spot.
21. Cavaliers (23): It looked as if Cleveland had no chance at a playoff spot as recently as a week ago. But if the Cavs can finish with, say, 35 wins, they’ll have a real chance to sneak in.
22. Kings (24): The Kings have done a lot of things right this season in terms of establishing a solid foundation. Now they are doing more things right by losing a lot over the season’s final few weeks.
23. Celtics (21): Thanks to a late push, the Celtics are now in fifth place in the race to the bottom of the standings, and have a chance to move up at least another spot and possibly two before the season comes to a close.
24. Lakers (25): With blowout wins over the Knicks and Suns this week, it’s clear the Lakers aren’t giving up on coach Mike D’Antoni over the final few weeks of the season – even if it would be in their best long-term interests.
25. Hawks (18): The Hawks followed up their four-game winning streak with a six-game skid, allowing the Knicks and Cavs to hang around for eighth place in the East.
26. Jazz (26): After all of this losing, the Jazz will be desperately hoping Jabari Parker – who was brought up in the Mormon church – falls to them in June’s draft.
27. Magic (28): No one is rooting harder for the Knicks to miss the playoffs than Orlando. They will move up several draft spots if the Knicks miss the playoffs, or will wind up with the 15th pick if they don’t.
28. Bucks (29): The most remarkable thing about Milwaukee’s season isn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo or anything going on with the Brewers: They still have fewer wins than a team that lost 26 games in a row.
29. Pistons (27): The Pistons should be dead last after their truly pathetic display against the 76ers, but can’t realistically be lower than a team that lost 26 games in a row. That game, however, was truly embarrassing.
30. 76ers (30): Congratulations to the 76ers, who finally snapped their 26-game losing streak by dismantling the Pistons over the weekend. Now there’s no drama left in their season.