FanPost

The Timberwolves have a 0.0% chance of making the Playoffs (Poll)

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds were released today here at ESPN.com. The newly released playoff odds place Rick Kamla's Wolves in esteemed company. (Side rant, why does Rick Kamla get to claim this team as his Wolves? They are not your Wolves, Rick, they're "Our Wolves")

Together with Boston and Miami, the Wolves are one of only three teams with postseason certainty. Unfortunately, that certainty for the Wolves is in their 0.0% chance of making the playoffs.

The catalyst for these sum certain odds appears to be that putrid stretch of basketball from October 30-November 7 where the Wolves lost 5 straight games, 4 on the road, to Memphis, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta and Houston by a combined 130 points. When the team has only played 13 games, a five game losing streak where the team lost by an average of 26 points a night, gives the Wolves the worst playoff odds in the league. Even the 1-12 Clippers and the struggling Kings enjoy minuscule odds of reaching the playoffs; however, under a minimum of 1000 simulations using Hollinger's system, not one has the Wolves in the playoffs.

I harbor no illusions of playoff particpation by the Wolves, but I also think that the 0.0% chance shouldn't be so small due to the Wolves road heavy schedule, and apparent growth after the aforementioned tough stretch of basketball. The mood around here has changed from one of Korean Recipes to mild hope to all-star campaigning for Beasely and Love. This change in mood from the Rockets game to today is a seismic shift of optimism based on tangible on court results. That being said, I felt taking a gauge of such optimism would be interesting. Vote your pleasure.