The Minnesota Timberwolves aims for their third consecutive win as they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Minnesota secured a thrilling 135-119 road victory against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, outscoring the Bulls 45-24 in the fourth quarter to clinch the comeback win. All five Timberwolves starters and sixth man Donte DiVincenzo scored in double digits. Anthony Edwards led with a game-high 33 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Julius Randle contributed 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Mike Conley recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists.
Next up for Minnesota is a matchup with Portland, which also faces a short rest after a 118-105 road loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton each scored 21 points for the Trail Blazers, and Anfernee Simons added 19.
Portland has lost three of its last four games and six of nine to start the season. A bright spot for the Trail Blazers was the return of guard Shaedon Sharpe, who made his season debut on Thursday after missing the first eight games due to a left shoulder injury. Sharpe finished with 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting in 20 minutes off the bench, and his playing time could increase as he gets back into game shape.
The Timberwolves know that hosting Portland could be challenging. Minnesota has won five of its first eight games this season after reaching the Western Conference Finals last spring. Rudy Gobert mentioned that he and Edwards are focusing on being more effective in the pick-and-roll game this season, with Gobert frequently setting screens, rolling toward the rim, and catching passes for high-percentage shots.
Last season, the Timberwolves won all four games against the Trail Blazers. In their most recent matchup, Gobert led Minnesota with 25 points and 16 rebounds in a 119-114 victory in Minneapolis on March 4. Simons was Portland’s top scorer with 34 points.
