You didn't want it to come to this -- particularly after the way the season started with such promise for the Wolves -- but here we are anyway: The one big thing you have to root for as it relates to the home team is a late-night game tonight between the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns. A Utah victory at home tonight clinches a playoff berth for the Jazz. And if that happens, the Wolves get Utah's first-round pick in the NBA draft. Since the Wolves won't have their own pick -- a product of that Marko Jaric trade 5,000 years ago -- this is a rather big deal if you enjoy having something to care about on draft night (and since this is considered a deep draft and the Wolves could certainly use help at several spots).

The game is at 9:30 p.m. on TNT. A Jazz win could mean next year's starting shooting guard ... or a shot-blocking center ... or even Royce White coming home ... is one step closer to being reality.