NBA Weekly: Timberwolves climbing up the West, Kevin Durant still the man

[p][a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5LSROzlXkir3UgUStrz7YQ?si=DZXBDDVBRkyxVIn9pWI0SA"][i][b]Listen to the article with Spotify.[/b][/i][/a][/p][h2]Team of the Week - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota Timberwolves[/a][/h2][p]The Minnesota Timberwolves are accelerating up the Western Conference, and a fantastic week has seen asser themselves as a team that will be massively feared in the playoffs.[/p][p]Led by the brilliant [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/edwards-anthony/6u0BMZM2/"]Anthony Edwards[/a], the Timberwolves won three games from three, against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portland-trail-blazers/4Awl14c5/"]Portland Trail Blazers[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-clippers/vPeTYlqm/"]Los Angeles Clippers[/a], and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denver-nuggets/CxvW27TI/"]Denver Nuggets[/a] - which was a particularly big statement.[/p][p]With their win over the Nuggets on Sunday, they leapfrogged their opponents into fourth in the West, and they will now have the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Houston Rockets[/a] in their sights. [/p][embed guid="e1d18f92-1ea1-482a-9f57-d9b430807e8a" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocpQeigF9E8" social-type="youtube" /][h2]Underperformers of the Week - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/washington-wizards/W6vGWPsn/"]Washington Wizards[/a][/h2][p]The Washington Wizards have been in the doldrums for years now, but they made a few bold acquisitions at the start of February in an attempt to manoeuvre a seismic turnaround next season.[/p][p]Bringing in 10-time All-Star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/davis-anthony/zTKzS6X9/"]Anthony Davis[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/young-trae/CCUGKxek/"]Trae Young[/a] showcased their intent. They are bolstering their roster for 2026/27. However, this season is a complete write-off, sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 16-43 record.[/p][p]Three heavy losses last week to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Atlanta Hawks[/a] twice and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-raptors/CxtbCMdU/"]Toronto Raptors[/a] were perhaps exactly what the Wizards wanted. Teams are in tanking mode as they look to improve their draft position. [/p][image alt="The Wizards' last 10 games" id="5b350dc2-19c6-4b41-8493-a41a18e50447" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="5384b5a6-4906-41dd-8831-f6234a4d5dd2" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][h2]Player of the Week - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/durant-kevin/pKXcd9rI/"]Kevin Durant[/a][/h2][p]Kevin Durant may be 37 years old, but he remains one of the best bucket-getters in the NBA.[/p][p]The Rockets are third in the West and had a good week, winning three of their four games. KD was typically prolific, having 18 points and 12 assists against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/utah-jazz/hGuCX5Su/"]Utah Jazz[/a], 21 points in 28 minutes against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sacramento-kings/CvwE1OCB/"]Sacramento Kings[/a], 40 points against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-magic/QZMS36Dn/"]Orlando Magic[/a], and 32 points against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-heat/CQ7AXnT5/"]Miami Heat[/a].[/p][p]Against the Heat, he also surpassed Kobe Bryant for the fifth-most 30-point games of all-time.[/p][p]How far the Rockets can go this season is unclear, but they will ned KD in this type of form come the playoffs.[/p][embed guid="a4bbab7b-34a3-43bb-a08d-baec995488af" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2027224128034402720" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Play of the Week - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/o-neale-royce/pIfNJWgL/"]Royce O'Neale[/a][/h2][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/phoenix-suns/M1Gy2pra/"]Phoenix Suns[/a] claimed a stunning late win over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Los Angeles Lakers[/a] last week, and Royce O'Neale came up clutch with an ice-cold go-ahead three-pointer with just under a second to go to claim the victory.[/p][embed guid="51d7bac7-2e84-4fb7-b3b3-a1fcec6a6d57" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2027240880847921468" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Story of the Week - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jokic-nikola/dUHaiJ5n/"]Jokic[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dort-luguentz/rFioGfiI/"]Dort[/a][/h2][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City Thunder[/a] overcame the Nuggets in a thrilling overtime game, but the events in the fourth quarter are what took centre stage.[/p][p]Lu Dort was ejected from the contest for cynically tripping up Nikola Jokic, and the Serb was absolutely furious.[/p][p]Jokic's eyes bulged, and he looked possessed as he squared up to Dort, and it was all anyone could talk about afterwards.[/p][embed guid="08e1d044-5597-4f4d-9b1b-8affbee96814" url="https://x.com/espn/status/2027608939781640199" social-type="twitter" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/basketball/usa/nba/"]Follow the NBA with Flashscore![/a][/h2]