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It's been a while, Canis. I apologize for missing last week's update, it was a wildly busy week.
But this week, we're back, and with the Wolves returning home after a nice road trip, the optimism is starting to make its way back into conversations surrounding the Wolves.
While last night's win won't factor into this week's rankings, it didn't stop the Wolves' stock from going up.
Average Ranking: 15.42 (Last week: 16.29)
No. 15 (Last Week: 16): Jason Patt, SB Nation
Kevin Love's February: 34.0 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, 48.7 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from three-point range. Is that good?
No. 16 (Last Week: 17): Marc Stein, ESPN
If the banged-up Wolves have a move left to make in the West, they better make it now. Six of Sota's next seven games are against non-playoff teams. The stats, meanwhile, say Kevin Love has more gas in his fourth-quarter tank than he did earlier in the season ... even without Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin.
No. 16 (Last Week: 17): Marc Spears, Yahoo! Sports
Minnesota can move above the .500 mark with win at Denver on Monday.
No. 15 (Last Week: 16): Matt Moore, CBS Sports
They're the guys who show up to browse at a store five minutes before it closes. It might be too late, but they're still shopping for that playoff spot.
No. 15 (Last Week: 15): USA Today Writers' Poll
They are 10th in the West despite the ninth-best point differential in the NBA.
No. 16 (Last Week: 17):: Matt Dollinger, Sports Illustrated
Here come the Wolves! Kevin Love and Co. have won five of six and sit 5½ games behind Dallas for the eighth seed in the West. Now is the time to make a move: Minnesota plays six of its next seven games against losing teams and begins a four-game homestand Wednesday against New York.
No. 15 (Last Week: 16): John Schuhmann, NBA.com
The Wolves aren't dead yet. Playing some of their best defense of the season and with Kevin Love putting up ridiculous numbers (including four games of seven or more assists), they've won five of their last six to get back to .500. Now, they play five of their next seven against teams (Denver, New York, Detroit, Milwaukee and Sacramento) who are a combined 7-27 since the All-Star break.