It's well too soon for the T-wolves to start resting players for the playoffs. That's because Minnesota is in a pitched battle to avoid the West play-in round in what is becoming a very crowded chase. Four straight wins and covers for Minnesota, and Ant Edwards scoring 29 ppg the last three suggest the Wolves are driving thru the tape. Make no mistake, the Sixers are in "t-word" mode, now with the league's fifth-worst mark and a better chance to get the first pick with the more-balanced lottery odds. The first-round pick is also top-six protected. There is no issue at all in Philly to make sure Embiid, Maxey, George and others don't play the rest of the season. Play T-wolves.

When you play the Sixers, 125 is the new 120. Or maybe it's 130. They are utterly pathetic defending the paint or the rim. They are allowing 123.5?g over the last 15 games (30th) and allowing 41.8% from beyond the arc (29th) and 49.5% from the field (26th) and opponents grabbing 47 rebounds./G (27th) in that span. Wolves are making a playoff push and playing like they care while others tank badly, and they are an elite offensive outfit the last 12 games (3rd). They've scored 123+ in 4 of 6 and 9. Even if this game gets out of hand the Wolves bench can still get theirs.