The Timberwolves are set for 27 national TV games this season, the eighth-most in the league, and that means plenty of chances for Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and the rest of Minnesota’s new-look group to play under the brightest lights.
Those 27 games come against 16 different opponents, and not all of them carry the same juice. Some are loaded with playoff baggage, some come with a little extra noise from former players, and a few are just the kind of high-end basketball you circle right away.
At the top of the list is Oklahoma City, and it’s easy to see why. Minnesota’s four games against the Thunder - @ OKC on 11/25, 12/25, @ OKC on 3/2 and 3/28 - are all on national TV, including the Wolves’ first-ever home Christmas game.
That alone makes the matchup stand out, but the on-court tension is what really pushes it to No. 1.
The boos for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are expected to be loud in the two home games, and these are the kind of meetings that should come down to the wire.
San Antonio lands next, with just two nationally televised games: @ SAS on 1/22 and 2/18. That feels light for a series that already has heat behind it. Victor Wembanyama intentionally elbowed Naz Reid in the face during last season’s playoffs, and after the way that playoff series ended, there’s no mystery about how Minnesota will feel going in.
Charlotte comes in third, and both games - 1/29 and @ CHA on 2/15 - have a built-in emotional angle. Naz Reid’s and LaMelo Ball’s homecoming to their former teams should carry plenty of buzz, and both sides should have something to prove.
Denver is right there too, with every game in the series getting the national spotlight: @ DEN on 12/28, 12/31, 1/27 and @ DEN on 3/7. That’s a full slate of marquee games, and the reason is obvious.
These teams hate each other. Minnesota embarrassed Denver in last year’s playoffs, and the Nuggets are still looking for payback.
They also still haven’t fixed their “bad defenders” problem.
Toronto checks in at No. 5 with a lone matchup on @ TOR 1/7. It’s not a rivalry, but the appeal is pretty clear.
The Raptors are viewed as a team with real defensive upside, and if the Kawhi Leonard situation gets resolved, they’d have one of the game’s best closers on top of that. Add in Minnesota’s history of struggles in Toronto, and this one has a sneaky tough feel.
Philadelphia lands sixth with a March 13 date. The timing is the main reason it’s not higher; the idea here is that by then, all five starters would be a surprise to see healthy.
Even so, the game still has real weight because both teams project to be among the league’s best. And with LeBron James rumored to join the Wolves and ultimately choosing otherwise, he should get a fair amount of boos in town.
New York sits seventh with the lone matchup coming @ NYK on 1/18. Madison Square Garden always adds something, but the fact that the only national TV game between these teams is in New York instead of Target Center stands out.
With the way Karl-Anthony Towns is received in Minnesota, a home game would have made more sense. Still, the Knicks are the defending champions, so it’s a meaningful test.
The Lakers are next, with games on 12/16 and @ LAL on 4/7. There isn’t a ton of extra spice here now that LeBron is gone, but it’s still a strong basketball matchup and a possible playoff preview. And there’s always some entertainment in watching Luka Doncic try to put Rudy Gobert in isolation as often as possible.
Brooklyn comes in ninth with the 11/23 matchup, and this one is about one player more than anything else. Julius Randle is back in town, and the expectation is for some very loud boos after how his Wolves stint ended. Maybe not Jimmy Butler-level noise, but not far off either.
Miami is tenth, with games on @ MIA 10/21 and 2/6. The opener gives this one a natural lift, and the draw here is simple: it will be the first official game on their new teams for both LaMelo Ball and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Houston follows at No. 11 with @ HOU on 1/5. There isn’t a deep well of shared history between the teams, but the matchup still works because both are Western Conference clubs that could be playoff opponents. The KD and Ant angle helps too, especially with Edwards seeming to turn into a Michael Jordan clone when he sees Durant across from him.
Boston checks in at 12 with games on @ BOS 2/12 and 2/28. These teams have been playing tight, entertaining games in recent years, and the friendly rivalry between Jayson Tatum and Ant gives the series a little extra edge.
Portland is 13th with @ POR on 2/2. The Blazers are tough to pin down, with a crowded guard group and two sub-6-foot-3 point guards expected to start next to each other: Ja Morant and Damian Lillard. That setup should give Ant and LaMelo room to run, and it’ll also be strange to see former assistant coach Micah Nori on the other sideline.
Golden State comes in at 14 with the 4/2 matchup. You’d normally expect more buzz here because of Draymond Green’s history with Rudy Gobert and the fanbase’s dislike for Jimmy Butler, but this version of the Warriors doesn’t project as especially strong.
It’s still unclear whether Butler will play this year, and the roster feels like a “Steph Curry and friends” group. Even so, the drama keeps it from sinking any lower.
Atlanta is 15th with 3/10. The Hawks are tough to figure out, with plenty of firepower on the defensive side of the ball and an offense that can be hit-or-miss. The familiar face here is Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who was well liked during his 2.5 years in Minnesota, but beyond that, this one mostly hinges on whether the game stays competitive.
Detroit rounds out the list at No. 16 with 3/22. There was a case to move it up because of the fight between the teams two years ago, but the two main Pistons involved then were Isaiah Stewart, who’s now in Memphis, and Ron Holland III, who plays about 15 minutes a game. Even so, it should still be a strong game, with both teams carrying championship aspirations.
With two global superstars on the roster, Minnesota has the kind of national TV schedule that guarantees attention. Some of these games will carry rivalry heat, some will lean on star power, and some will just be good basketball. Either way, the Wolves should have no shortage of spotlight moments.
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