The Minnesota Timberwolves were all set to take extend their four-game winning streak to five last time out before an overtime miracle by the New Orleans Pelicans ended their run.
Brandon Ingram hit a miraculous three-point shot as time expired to send Minnesota home with a loss. The loss pushed the Timberwolves back under .500 yet again with the outcome.
Now, Minnesota must take on the red-hot Memphis Grizzlies, a squad that has won 10 straight. Memphis is 29-14 and in first place in the Southwest Division.
The Grizzlies have been a solid option versus the NBA odds in the sportsbook. Will they win and cover again here?
- Game: Minnesota Timberwolves (20-21) vs Memphis Grizzlies (29-14)
- Location: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
- Day/Time: Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Television: BSSE
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Memphis Grizzlies
Wolves Look to Stay Humble
Karl-Anthony Towns admitted after the Pelicans loss that the Minnesota Timberwolves were overconfident heading into the matchup. He said that overlooking an opponent and then trying to flip a switch at the last second isn’t the way to win a basketball game.
Minnesota will hope to get back on track against Memphis. Towns leads this team, averaging 24.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Anthony Edwards also has been stellar, averaging 22.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
They are receiving support from the likes of D’Angelo Russell and Patrick Beverley. If the Wolves want to get back to .500, they have to stay humble and stick to their strengths.
Grizzlies Flying High
While the T-Wolves are trying to get their heads on straight, the Memphis Grizzlies probably feels like they have their head in the clouds.
Everybody on the roster is stepping up and contributing at the perfect time. Ja Morant has been the vocal leader of the team, averaging 24.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
Other young players, like rookie Ziaire Williams, have had big performances lately. In just his third career, Williams scored a career-high 17 points on Tuesday.
Desmond Bane is another player who has taken a dramatic step forward in his development. He averages 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest.
What makes these big performances even more impressive is that the Grizzlies are still without starting shooting guard Dillon Brooks, who has been out.
Memphis plays with a lot of heart and chemistry, two things that are hard for opposing teams to overcome. They’ve been reliable to those who bet online.
Expect Grizzlies to Keep Rolling
The early NBA game betting line for this matchup has the Grizzlies set as 4.5-point favorites. That makes sense considering that they have been beating everybody lately while the Timberwolves just lost to one of the worst teams in the league.
These two teams have met up twice already, with the Grizzlies winning in overtime in the first matchup and the Wolves dominating the second contest in a 138-95 rout.
The over-under is also set at 230. It is a potentially high-scoring contest with each of these squads preferring to play fast and loose.
Memphis hasn’t scored under 100 points since Dec. 20 and, even then, it scored 99. This team scores a lot of points and they do it consistently.
This one should be high scoring but the Grizzlies should pull out the win in the end due to their momentum coming in.
