In the quest for the top spot in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves found themselves in an advantageous position when facing off against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday evening.

Hosting the league’s weakest team, the Timberwolves were handed the opportunity to secure a victory in Minneapolis.

Despite Karl-Anthony Towns‘ absence since March 4 due to a knee injury, Minnesota (49-22) has shown resilience by winning five of their last six matches, notably triumphing over the Golden State Warriors with a score of 114-110 on Sunday.

This streak positions them within reach of securing home-court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs, competing closely against Denver and Oklahoma City.

During their victory against the Warriors, the Timberwolves demonstrated remarkable accuracy from beyond the arc, sinking 21 of their 40 attempted three-point shots against notable shooters like the “Splash Brothers,” Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

“We were getting stops and we were running, trying to catch them off balance before their defense could get set,” Minnesota guard Mike Conley said. “You’ve got multiple playmakers in that group and, whoever got the ball, we told that guy to sprint up the court and make a play. Everybody just played off each other.”

Filling in for the injured Towns, Naz Reid led the Timberwolves’ three-point onslaught by converting six of his eight attempts, exceeding expectations for the team this season, while the Warriors strive to secure a spot in the play-in tournament.

“I’m just happy we (are) not in the play-in game,” Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards said. “My (Team) USA brothers, they thought we (were) gonna be in the play-in again, so I’m happy to prove them wrong.”

Contributing 23 points, Edwards played a pivotal role as the Timberwolves collaboratively tallied 30 assists on 40 successful field goals.

“We’re very deep. This team is tremendous,” Reid said. “Everybody puts their best foot forward, so everybody has the right intentions. Everybody has the right mindset. It’s anybody’s day at any moment.”

On the contrary, the Pistons are struggling to accumulate victories this season, aiming to reach a total of twelve wins.

With a record of 12-60, Detroit has faced setbacks by enduring a seven-game losing streak, compounded by multiple key players sidelined due to various injuries, forcing them to strive for just four more wins to match their worst franchise season.

Recent announcements revealed that three players, including two starters, have been ruled out for the remainder of the season. Star player Cade Cunningham has missed consecutive games due to knee discomfort, while starting center Jalen Duren has been absent for three matches due to back issues. Essential reserve forward Simone Fontecchio and guard Quentin Grimes are also unavailable due to injuries.

In their recent game against the New York Knicks, only second-year guard Jaden Ivey from the regular starters was on the court, contributing nine points in a disappointing 124-99 defeat.

The Knicks established a commanding lead of 19 points by the conclusion of the first quarter, with guard Donte DiVincenzo delivering a standout performance by setting a franchise record with 11 successful three-point shots and scoring 40 points.

“We couldn’t make a shot and missed shots turned into transition for them and they got threes off of that,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “I don’t think we were as deflated as it looked, we just couldn’t make a shot. For the game, we didn’t shoot it well.”