Minneapolis ? With everyone back on a team that made the Western Conference finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves expected to be at least as good this season.

The early going hasn’t been smooth at all, though. The Wolves rank just sixth in the West, and owner Glen Taylor can’t be pleased with a 16-12 record in exchange for one of the NBA’s five highest payrolls.

“We’ve got to get our swagger back,” said point guard Sam Cassell, one of several players responsible for the inconsistent start. “It’s a big win to beat us. You can see in the teams that beat us — their celebrations after the game.”

And a lot more opponents are getting that chance, something that didn’t seem likely given last season’s 58 victories and top seeding in the playoffs.

Plus, consider this: Cassell, Troy Hudson, Wally Szczerbiak and Michael Olowokandi recovered from injuries; three key reserves — Hudson, defensive stopper Trenton Hassell and sharp-shooter Fred Hoiberg — were re-signed to multiyear, multimillion contracts; and troubled-but-talented forward Eddie Griffin could be the league’s comeback player of the year as a solid backup to Kevin Garnett.

Something, however, has been missing.

“You’re never where you want to be, unless you’re 27-0,” coach Flip Saunders said. “The only team that’s probably feeling good right now is Miami. We knew that it was going to be a process. I think we’ve shown at times we can be really good, and we’ve shown at times we can be really bad. We just have to work now at gaining that consistency.”

Especially on defense.

Minnesota’s scheme revolves around reigning NBA MVP Garnett’s long arms in the middle and relies heavily on players’ rotating over to help a teammate.

“When we’re passive and not aggressive, that’s when our defense is bad, and that carries over to our offense a lot of times,” Saunders said. “We’ve just got to kind of get a more consistent, aggressive approach.”

Szczerbiak, limited to 28 games last season by a left foot injury, is at full strength and playing well. He’s averaging 15.3 points in 32.5 minutes, second on the team in both categories behind Garnett (22.9 points, 39.6 minutes).

His defense has improved, too, but more floor time for him means less for Hassell — whose work shutting down opponents’ leading scorers was an important part of the Wolves’ success a year ago.