Following the Timberwolves' 118-110 victory over Sacramento on Monday, they are 38-26 with 18 games left and in third place in the Western Conference standings.
Still, the loss of Jimmy Butler because of an injured knee, which he had surgery on at Mayo Clinic on Sunday to repair his meniscus, is going to hurt. The injury comes at an inopportune time, as the Wolves enter a grueling upcoming eight-game stretch that might decide if the Wolves are going to make the playoffs.
Entering Wednesday they were in third place, but the Wolves are only 3½ games up in the loss column on the ninth-place Nuggets.
"There are probably 10 teams that are going to fight it out for the eighth spot," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We have been in fourth most of the season, but we have to compete the second half of the year."
When asked how the team will replace Butler's production, Thibodeau said it's got to be a group effort.
"The important thing is to understand we're not going to replace Jimmy with any one individual," he said. "We're going to have to do it collectively as a team. We can't underestimate how hard we have to play. Anytime you're shorthanded you have to play with great intensity on every possession. If we do that, we'll be able to win games.
"Everyone is capable of defending, everyone is capable of rebounding, everyone is capable of taking care of the ball. The strengths of the club have changed a little bit, so we want to play to our strengths and cover up our weaknesses. ... Our defense is something we have to continue to work on."
Over their next eight games the Wolves play at Portland, Utah, Washington, San Antonio and they play host to Boston, Golden State, Houston and the Clippers. Those clubs all have winning records.