The Washington Wizards (10-10, 7-4 Home), one of the NBA’s top shooting defenses, play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves (10-10, 5-4 Away) on Monday. Both teams will be playing the second of a back-to-back. The Timberwolves are 1-1 without rest, while the Wizards are 2-1. Minnesota was dismantled by the Golden State Warriors 137-114 at Target Center yesterday.
Anthony Edwards led the way in the losing effort with 26 points. The Timberwolves are the 10th seed in the Western Conference. Washington dropped their third in a row yesterday at TD Garden, falling to the Boston Celtics 130-121. Bradley Beal had 30 points in the losing effort, leading the team. The Wizards are the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
It’s the first meeting of the season between the teams. Washington won both games between the teams last season, the last of which was a 132-114 triumph at Target Center on April 5, their fifth straight head-to-head victory.
Kristaps Porzingis led the Wizards with 25 points, while Daniel Gafford was a key contributor with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists. Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. Edwards and Towns, averaging 22.3 and 21.4 points per game, respectively, have led the T’Wolves in scoring this season.
Both are among the NBA’s top scorers, as Edwards is No. 1 and Towns is first. Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert is grabbing 12.7 rebounds per game, most in the league, and D’Angelo Russell is dishing 6.7 assists (1st).
Beal (23.6 ppg), Porzingis (20.3), and Kyle Kuzma (20.3) have supplied much of the Wizards’ offense. Beal leads the NBA. Porzingis also has pulled down 8.4 rebounds per game, most in the NBA, while Beal has doled out 5.6 assists per game, most in the league.
Foes are shooting 45.0% from the field against the Timberwolves, ranking as one of the toughest FG% defenses in the NBA (4th).The Timberwolves have come up short in recent visits to Capital One Arena, losing seven of the last 10.
Minnesota is 5-5 in the last 10 games with an average margin of -1.7 (113.6-115.3). Washington has gone 6-4 over the last 10, scoring 111.0 points per game on average while holding opponents to 109.1 (+1.9 margin).
WIZARDS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Rui Hachimura: 24.0 | 17.4 | +6.6
Points per game:
Kyle Kuzma: 27.5 | 20.3 | +7.2
Rebounds per game:
Deni Avdija: 6.6 | 5.1 | +1.6
Assists per game:
Monte Morris: 6.5 | 5.2 | +1.3
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Minnesota Timberwolves (-105)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
