• The Timberwolves play four of their next five games at Target Center, starting with Monday's game against Oklahoma City. The Wolves have won three straight home games — all of them without the injured Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been out 13 games because of a knee injury — after a dreadful start on their home court.

• Speaking of the comforts of home, the Wild gets seven straight games at Xcel Energy Center starting Thursday against Tampa Bay. It feels like a vital stretch, with the All-Star break coming during that span, for the Wild in its attempt to climb back into the playoff picture after a dreadful start and some recent slippage.

• After 19 comes 20. The Gophers men's basketball team toppled No. 19 Michigan on Sunday at Williams Arena, and Minnesota will try to knock off another ranked foe Wednesday at The Barn when No. 20 Penn State arrives. The Gophers are putting together a résumé that might make them a factor in March.

• The Gophers women's basketball team dropped its fourth straight conference game Sunday, 74-71 at Illinois. The slumping Gophers will try to break that streak Thursday when they host Iowa.

• There's a segment of fans that won't watch the playoffs any more after their team is eliminated. If you're part of that group, you probably don't care that the AFC and NFC championship games are Sunday. But once the day arrives, you're probably going to end up watching the games, anyway.