New Orleans Pelicans could be rivals with Minnesota Timberwolves in near future

With the New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves both becoming young up-and-coming teams with excited fans, there could be a rivalry in the near future.

Just last year, the excitement of the New Orleans Pelicans’ playoff appearance had many predicting them as the new up-and-coming team in the Western Conference. After this past season, some of that spark has disappeared.

However, the hope is not all lost. Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday continue to be a powerful one-two combo when healthy. With great role players in Quincy Pondexter, Tyreke Evans and Omer Asik, it’s not hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel. There’s still a lot of cap space for the Pelicans to use and a promising group of youngsters in the NBA Draft for the Pels to pick from.

If Dell Demps and Alvin Gentry can repeat the magic of two years ago, they could return to their role as the West’s rising squad. There’s just one problem. While the New Orleans Pelicans fell off this past season, someone stole their spot…

The Minnesota Timberwolves.

It’s hard not to like what is building in Minnesota. Last year’s Rookie of the Year Karl Anthony-Towns had a brilliant season alongside rising star Andrew Wiggins. Overall, the T-Wolves have a roster filled with young, exciting, athletic ballers. Ricky Rubio is the experienced point guard who has led the charge and had a career season of his own.

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With their own lottery pick and brand new Head Coach in Tom Thibodeau, there’s a lot of excitement up north. The team’s biggest weakness has been defense, yet bringing in the man in charge of one of the elite defenses of this decade in the Chicago Bulls’s Thibs will certainly help that.

Both the T-Wolves and the Pelicans have not reached their potential yet, however the signs for both teams makes it seem like the positive results will soon follow. The highest tiers of the Western Conference are beginning to regress to the mean, with the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets all expected to go through major changes.

It leaves the door open for both young rosters. However, with both teams looking to make the jump to contenders, could it lead to a rivalry? It’s not crazy to think it could happen. For one, both team’s stars went to the same college and played similar roles.

Anthony Davis and Karl Anthony-Towns both went to Kentucky and rose to the top of the NBA Draft boards through their play inside. It’s easy to see the two rising stars on the block in the West begin an unexpected rivalry, similar to the Memphis Grizzlies vs Oklahoma City Thunder a few years back. Their feisty, physical playoff matchups led to their low-key rivalry.

It could be the same for the Pels and Wolves, yet it would look a little bit the opposite, more so like a Clippers-Warriors game. Back-and-forth with high amounts of transition opportunities. Tons of dunks and three-pointers. It’s what both teams have shown prowess in for the past few seasons.

However, with Tom Thibodeau under center in Minnesota and Kendrick Perkins‘ physical mentality occupying the Pelicans bench, don’t expect any of their games to lack aggressive defense. Yet, there’s only one way teams learn to develop the physical battles and fire with their rival? The playoffs.

It’s something neither of these teams have much experience with in recent history. Yet, it’s something these teams seem closer and closer to reaching in the near future. With both teams more than likely entering the playoffs as lower seventh or eighth seeds in the soon-to-come years, it’ll be a while they could battle against each other in the first round. Still, that could happen in as little as three to five years from now.

Even without the playoff games, the rivalry is beginning to show promise. Two years ago, the Pelicans set a franchise record in points against the Timberwolves. Last year, Minnesota put up 144 points on New Orleans in the final game of the season. The series ended in a 2-2 tie between the teams, showing the battle evenly-matched.

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With both squads ready to rise in the standings, they could see each other as motivation to work harder and play tougher. That’s the recipe for a good upcoming rivalry. Fans could be looking forward to must-watch heated basketball when these two teams meet up next year.