Upcoming Matchup: Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves
In an upcoming matchup, the Portland Trail Blazers will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. EST in Minneapolis. Currently, Portland holds a 25-28 record, placing them ninth in the Western Conference, while the Timberwolves sit at 33-22, ranking sixth.
Trail Blazers’ Struggles
The Trail Blazers are seeking to snap a three-game losing streak away from home. So far, they have recorded a 20-15 performance against fellow Western Conference teams. Analyzing their gameplay, Portland tends to excel when committing fewer turnovers than their opponents—holding a 10-7 record in such instances—yet they average a concerning 16.4 turnovers per game.
Timberwolves’ Offensive Power
In terms of scoring, the Timberwolves rank eighth in the NBA with an impressive average of 15.7 fast-break points per game, largely driven by Ayo Dosunmu, who contributes 3.7 fast-break points per outing. Minnesota’s prolific offense scores 119.4 points per game, exceeding the 118.0 points their opponents, including the Trail Blazers, typically allow. The Timberwolves have a shooting success rate of 46.3%, slightly higher than the 45.1% of Portland’s shooting efficiency.
Previous Encounter
This encounter marks the second face-off this season for both teams, with the Timberwolves previously securing a 118-114 victory during their first meeting on October 23.
Anthony Edwards starred in that game for Minnesota, putting up a formidable 41 points, while Jerami Grant led Portland’s charge with 29 points.
Key Players
Highlighting key players, Julius Randle is showcasing a shooting accuracy of 48.9% with an average of 22.0 points for the Timberwolves. Meanwhile, on the Blazers’ side, Donovan Clingan is averaging 11.4 points and 11.5 rebounds. Grant has shown consistent performance in recent games as well, tallying 15.0 points and shooting 44.9% over the last ten matches.
Recent Performances
As for both teams’ recent performances, the Timberwolves boast a 6-4 record in their last ten games, averaging 117 points and demonstrating solid defensive stats with 9.4 steals and 6.3 blocks per game. In comparison, the Trail Blazers have struggled at 3-6 in their last ten contests, averaging 115.5 points while also dealing with considerable defensive challenges.
Injury Updates
Injury updates reveal significant absences for both squads. For the Timberwolves, Terrence Shannon Jr. will be sidelined due to a foot injury. The Trail Blazers will be without Matisse Thybulle (knee), Shaedon Sharpe (calf), Kris Murray (lumbar), and superstar Damian Lillard, who is out for the remainder of the season due to an Achilles injury.
