MINNEAPOLIS ? It is bad enough for the Minnesota Timberwolves that they have lost nine of their last 11 games. It's tough, too, that seven of those games have come at home in the Target Center.

But that Tuesday's loss came at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, who had previous lost 10 in a row, was tougher. So, too, was coach Flip Saunders questioning his players' passion after the game.

And the player's-only meeting called before Wednesday's practice only fully punctuated the obvious.

"This is as bad as it gets," point guard Chauncey Billups said.

Technically, it's still possible for the Timberwolves to drop entirely from the playoffs, though so far they have only dropped to the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference after beginning the season 30-10 and leading the Midwest Division in late January.