The Timberwolves obviously aren't headed toward the playoffs but that doesn't mean they won't have anything to do with them.
Right now, Utah, Dallas and Houston are in a dead heat for the Western Conference's final two playoffs spots.
The Wolves play at Utah tonight, face Dallas at home on Sunday and play Houston at Target Center in the season's second-to-last game on April 11.
Depending on how they play in those three games, they could have something to say about who gets in and who doesn't.
The Jazz tonight probably will play without star forward Derrick Favors, who left Wednesday's overtime home loss to Golden State early because of knee soreness and didn't fully participate in Utah's morning shoot tonight.
He is considered questionable for tonight's game.
(UPDATE at 7:42 pm Central time) Jazz coach Quin Snyder said before tonight's game that Favors will not play. Karl-Anthony Towns former Kentucky teammate Trey Lyles will start at Favors' power-forward spot. END UPDATE)
If the season ended right this moment, Dallas would claim the seventh spot, the Jazz the eighth and Houston would be outside looking in by half a game.
Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns both said after shootaround this morning in Salt Lake City that winning every game is all that matter.
Zach LaVine agreed that true, but he had a little different take.
"We're not going to let anybody pass," he said. "If we don't make it, neither do y'all."
Wiggins participated in morning shoot after he left Wednesday's loss to the Clippers in the third quarter because of a chin laceration that required four stitches to close. He didn't return to the game.
"It's all right," Wiggins said, saying he's ready to play tonight. "It was a hard elbow."
