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3 hours ago
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The Memphis Grizzlies volition beryllium looking to instrumentality to winning ways successful the NBA erstwhile they marque the travel to the Target Center to look the Minnesota Timberwolves connected Sunday morning.
The Timberwolves (20-17) are seventh successful the Western Conference standings, portion the Grizz (24-14) are 3rd heading into the last circular of matches successful week 12 of the season.
Match preview
© Imago
The Minnesota Timberwolves are enjoying a bully tally of signifier recently, having won six of their past 9 games, and they are present gunning for a 4th consecutive triumph aft routing the Orlando Magic 104-89 connected the roadworthy connected Friday.
Julius Randle led the squad to triumph with 23 points and 10 rebounds, Anthony Edwards contributed 21 points and 7 assists, and Naz Reid enactment up 16 points and 3 assists disconnected the bench.
Minnesota came flying retired the gross against the short-handed Magic, outscoring their opponents 29-18 successful the archetypal fractional earlier extending their pb to 24 successful the 2nd quarter, and they managed to crippled good from past connected to extremity a seven-game losing streak against Eastern Conference opponents.
Orlando did not play arsenic poorly arsenic the scoreline suggests, but the large quality betwixt the sides became evident successful the 4th fourth erstwhile the Timberwolves were 12 for 28 (43%) from beyond the arc portion the Magic were 6 for 30 (20%).
Chris Finch's broadside are present averaging 108.9 points per crippled (22nd successful the NBA), but they play elite-level defence, ranked 4th wide successful the league, allowing 107.2 PPG and conscionable 97.3 crossed their past three.
© Imago
Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies person present divided their past 10 games, 5 wins and 5 defeats, aft coming up abbreviated 119-115 to the Houston Rockets successful a matchup betwixt the 2nd and third-ranked teams successful the West.
Making his instrumentality to the tribunal from injury, Ja Morant led the broadside with 27 points and 3 assists, Jaren Jackson Jr added 21 points and 8 rebounds, and Desmond Bane chipped successful with 16 points and 4 assists.
Memphis managed to trim a 12-point shortage successful the 4th fourth to conscionable a azygous constituent heading into the last infinitesimal of the match, but a jumper from Fred VanVleet took the Rockets 3 wide and yet proved to beryllium the quality astatine the last buzzer.
Notably, the Grizz were uncharacteristically mediocre with their shot information against Houston's sturdy defence, committing 19 turnovers, portion they besides struggled to make much, managing conscionable 20 assists successful full during the match.
The effect meant Taylor Jenkins's men fell 1.5 games down the fig 2 spot, but are inactive the second-highest-scoring squad successful the NBA, averaging 122.9 PPG, portion they person dropped to 21st connected the antiaircraft end, allowing 114.8 PPG.
Minnesota Timberwolves form:
Memphis Grizzlies form:
Team News
© Imago
The Timberwolves' fig 8 prime from this summer's NBA draft, Rob Dillingham, has not featured successful the side's past 7 games owing to a close ankle sprain, and helium is apt to stay sidelined for a portion longer.
Aside from Dillingham, the Timberwolves person a afloat roster available, barring Jesse Edwards and Tristen Newton, who are connected two-way contracts, portion Terrence Shannon Jr is connected G League assignment.
Ahead of the Rockets' game, the Grizzlies had arsenic galore arsenic 7 players listed connected their wounded study but cleared each of Morant, Bane, Jackson Jr and Santi Aldama up of tip-off, and each of them should beryllium disposable for the travel to the Target Center.
Young guardant GG Jackson has missed each play with a metatarsal wounded but has present been assigned to the G League for practice, Marcus Smart is retired with an wounded to his close scale finger, and Vince Williams Jr is inactive nursing a close ankle sprain.
Minnesota Timberwolves imaginable starting five:
Reid, Randle, Gobert, Edwards, DiVicenzo
Memphis Grizzlies imaginable starting five:
Jackson Jr, Wells, Edey, Morant, Bane
We say: Memphis Grizzlies to triumph by 2+ points
The Timberwolves are entering this lucifer with momentum connected their side, but the Grizzlies are getting healthier with each match, and the instrumentality of Ja Morant evidently improved their performance, albeit successful decision past clip out.
Memphis person been sensational connected offence this season, and portion Minnesota's defence is 1 of the champion successful the league, we consciousness the visitors volition beryllium capable to borderline the effect successful this one.
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