Attempting to reduce wear on its players, the NBA opened its season two weeks earlier this year, a change that reduced the number of back-to-back games and ensured teams now won't play four games in five nights.
By doing so, it also essentially moved its annual All-Star Game back, even though it still occupies the same third weekend in February.
When the Timberwolves reached their needed eight-day schedule break Friday, they had played 61 games with just 21 to go.
If Major League Baseball's All-Star Game remains the "Midsummer Classic," the NBA's version isn't mid-anything and Wolves players and coach Tom Thibodeau have noticed.
In their particular case, a lengthened season supposed to lighten demands on teams has been burdened by a travel schedule that has sent the Wolves from time zone to time zone as well as back home to play just one game nine times already this season.
"The whole NBA needs a break," Wolves veteran guard Jeff Teague said. "It has probably been the longest season I've been a part of. The traveling is pretty tough. I don't think our schedule was the friendliest. It has been a very long season. This is the worst I've ever been a part of."
Teague played his first eight NBA seasons in Atlanta and Indiana, but this is his first in Minnesota, where the Wolves are isolated geographically. Situated at the far reaches of their Western Conference as well, they're among the league leaders in miles flown every year.
But their disjointed schedule and a break that now comes three-quarters through an 82-game season has made this time around seem worse rather than better.