Despite a promising 15-8 start (53-win pace) and two straight conference finals runs, it seems like nobody is talking about the Minnesota Timberwolves' contention chances. The Wolves are even on a five-game win streak and have gotten little praise for this.
I get it, I really do, the Western Conference features a juggernaut 23-1 Oklahoma City Thunder team. Frankly, it's possible that no team can beat them. Additionally, the Wolves' bench depth, especially guard depth, is a real problem, and they haven't fared well in clutch time this year.
Now that I've laid out the (valid) concerns with the Wolves' status as contenders, allow me to retort.