NBA Tank Rankings: An ugly skid for Minnesota

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) and guard Andrew Wiggins (22) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) react as time winds down on a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The 76ers won 109-99. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

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Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) looks on from the court against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns won 111-102. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /

With the fantastic college basketball match-up between Kansas and Oklahoma this week, NBA fans began to take stock of the college game for the first time this season. Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield captivated the country with an electrifying performance, and for outsiders, that was enough to begin speculating about his status as a potential lottery pick in the upcoming 2016 NBA Draft.

Of course, those who regularly grind the college game and the NBA Draft world were not wholly swayed by a one-game sample from Hield, and he isn’t considered a top-tier NBA prospect. Still, it was a reminder that the race for ping-pong balls can inspire NBA teams to tank in a real way to get their hands on elite college talent, and there will always be an appetite for the next big thing.

In this space each week, we break down the bottom of the NBA, and with Buddy Hield’s future destination (insert laughter here) as the backdrop, here we go.

team. 170. When evaluating the balance of the regular season, the Hornets have no business appearing in this space. Charlotte sits at 17-18 on the year and, hilariously, that would be good enough to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. Still, the recent play of Steve Clifford’s team leaves a lot to be desired, and they have “earned” a nod for this week. The Hornets have lost five consecutive games (including a loss to the struggling Suns) to fall below the .500 mark, and during that stretch, Charlotte has been absolutely brutal defensively. Much has been made of Clifford’s wizardry in turning this team into a solid defensive club despite a perceived lack of talent on that end, but the Hornets have allowed 115.4 points per 100 possessions during the skid, and that won’t get it done under any circumstances. Charlotte’s hot start probably wasn’t indicative of their actual ability, but at the same time, they aren’t as bad as they have been during this five-game stretch. As usual, the truth is somewhere in between, but for this week, they fall in the bottom five.. (17-18). Previous: . Charlotte Hornets. 5

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