The Boston Celtics are gearing up for a challenging four-game road trip, starting with a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in Minneapolis. Coming off a dominant 54-point victory over the Toronto Raptors on New Year’s Eve, the Celtics are looking to carry that momentum into 2025 with high aspirations for another title run.
However, the Celtics might need to stock up on ice packs as they face some injury concerns. Jaylen Brown is listed as questionable due to a right shoulder strain, and Kristaps Porzingis is also questionable with a sprained left ankle. Brown has been averaging 24.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists this season, while Porzingis has been contributing 18.3 points and 6.4 rebounds in his limited starts.
On the Timberwolves’ side, they are dealing with injuries to Rob Dillingham and Luka Garza, both of whom are out with ankle sprains. Despite these injuries, Minnesota will rely on Anthony Edwards, who leads the team with 24.8 points per game, and Julius Randle, who adds 19.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
The Timberwolves’ coach, Chris Finch, has expressed concern over his team’s ball-handling, as they committed 23 turnovers in their last game, a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Celtics, on the other hand, will be bolstered by the return of Jrue Holiday, who came back from a shoulder injury and scored 14 points, including 4 of 5 from beyond the arc, in his last game.
This will be the second and final regular-season matchup between the two teams, with Boston winning the first game 107-105 at home on November 24. In that game, Brown led the Celtics with 29 points, while Jayson Tatum added 26 points and eight rebounds, and Derrick White contributed 19 points and nine rebounds. Edwards led the Timberwolves with 28 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Randle added 23 points.
Predictions
The Celtics are favored by 3.5 points, and the over/under for the game is set at 220 points. Boston’s strong performance on the road (11-3) and their recent dominant win over the Raptors suggest they have the edge, but injuries to key players could make things tricky. The Timberwolves, with a 9-6 home record, will look to capitalize on any weaknesses the Celtics might show due to their injury concerns.
It will be interesting to see how the Celtics manage their injury issues and whether they can maintain their high level of play on the road. The Timberwolves will aim to improve their ball-handling and limit turnovers to give themselves a better chance at victory.
