19th time's a charm: Wild, Wolves finally win on same night
The probability of the Wild and Timberwolves winning on the same night is, according to math and logic, not great.
The Wild has won 50% of its games (33 wins, 26 regulation losses, 7 overtime/shootout losses) and the Wolves have won 30% of their games (18 wins, 42 losses). Multiply those two and you get 15% — meaning that when the two teams play on the same day, that's the chance of both winning (so, about one out of every six or seven games).
Still, even with that deck stacked against them, the Wild and Wolves had managed a sadly impressive feat this season: On the first 18 occasions both played on the same date, there had been exactly zero times when both won. Here are the results of those 18 games, courtesy of the Star Tribune's Ken Chia:Oct. 30: Wolves L at Philadelphia 117-95; Wild L vs. St. Louis 2-1Nov. 2: Wolves W at Washington 131-109; Wild L vs. St. Louis 4-3 (OT)Nov. 16: Wolves L vs. Houston 125-105; Wild L vs. Carolina 4-3 (OT)Nov. 23: Wolves L vs. Phoenix 100-98; Wild L at Boston 5-4 (OT)
Nov. 25: Wolves W at Atlanta 125-113; Wild L at N.Y. Rangers 3-2 (OT)Dec. 1: Wolves L vs. Memphis 115-107; Wild W vs. Dallas 3-2 (SO)
Dec. 21: Wolves L at Portland 113-106; Wild L vs. Winnipeg 6-0
Dec. 23: Wolves L at Golden State 113-104; Wild W vs. Calgary 3-0Jan. 5: Wolves W at Cleveland 118-103; Wild L vs. Calgary 5-4 (SO)Jan. 9: Wolves W vs. Portland 116-102; Wild L at Calgary 2-1
Jan. 18: Wolves L vs. Toronto 122-112; Wild W vs. Dallas 7-0
Jan. 20: Wolves L vs. Denver 107-100; Wild L vs. Florida 5-4
Jan. 22: Wolves L at Chicago 117-110; Wild W vs. Detroit 4-2
Feb. 1: Wolves L at L.A. Clippers 118-106; Wild L vs. Boston 6-1
Feb. 21: Wolves L vs. Boston 127-117; Wild W at Edmonton 5-3
Feb. 23: Wolves L at Denver 128-116; Wild L vs. St. Louis 4-1
Feb. 28: Wolves L at Orlando 136-125; Wild W at Columbus 5-0
March 1: Wolves L vs. Dallas 111-91; Wild L vs. Washington 4-3
You can also see they both LOST on the same date eight times (counting overtime/shootout losses). Ten times they split. More on that in a minute.
For now, let's focus on the positive: the first streak is over. The 19th time was a charm Tuesday as the Wolves won 139-134 at New Orleans and the Wild earned a huge 3-1 win over Nashville.
One out of 19. About 5% — well below what we would even expect with that 15% mark.
In the context of each team's season, though, it makes some sense. The Wolves started a surprising 10-8, while the Wild was ice cold at the start of its season. Minnesota has since plummeted to an 8-34 mark since Dec. 1, while the Wild has surged back into playoff contention.
By the way, we would expect both teams to LOSE on the same night 35% of the time (50% Wild losing percentage multiplied by 70% Wolves losing percentage). At 8 out of 19, they're at 42% — a little higher than expected.
Long story short: Cherish those rare nights when they both win, as happened Tuesday.