When the Timberwolves talked about objectives heading into the 2001-02 season, the Los Angeles Lakers always seemed to pop up in discussion. Even if the Wolves were to advance to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time, they still viewed the two-time defending champions as their biggest obstacle in challenging for the Western Conference title.
That outlook seems outdated now. As the NBA all-star break approaches this week, no team in the league is playing better than the Sacramento Kings. The Kings (35-10) bring the league's best record to Target Center today, along with the stature as a new power in the Western Conference. It might be in the Wolves' best interest to shift some of that longterm focus away from the Lakers (32-12), who trail the Kings by 2 games in the Pacific Division.