Minnesota Timberwolves will take on the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA playoffs action on Friday evening. The home side needs to win in order to stay in the series and move it to Memphis. The visitors look forward to building up on their latest performance to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Minnesota will search for a chance to capitalize on playing in front of their fans and level this series. The hosts want to extend it for a little bit longer and drive the series to a decider in Memphis. On the other hand, Memphis wants to end the job here, as they know anything is possible in Game 7. The away side hopes to grab a win and a ticket for the next round.
Minnesota Timberwolves – Can they move the series to Memphis?
The Timberwolves were close to an upset in Memphis on Tuesday evening, and they had an 11-point lead heading to the final quarter. However, they didn’t have enough strength to hold off the opponents and grab a vital win on the road. Minnesota eventually lost 111-109, and they are 3-2 down in this series. Although they had a better field goal percentage, especially from the three-pointer area, Minnesota made too many turnovers – 23 – that cost them a victory. The T-Wolves were also outplayed in the paint, having eleven rebounds less than their rivals.
Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns lead the Timberwolves’ offense in the post-season, scoring 24.2 and 22.6 points per game, respectively. D’Angelo Russell tops the assists and steals charts with 7.2 and 1.2 while producing 13 pts per contest. Karl-Anthony Towns also dominates the paint with 11 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per match, while Patrick Beverley is the last player for Minnesota that contributes with a double-digit number of points in the playoffs. The good news for the T-Wolves is that they shouldn’t have any selection issues ahead of this match.
Expected Line-Up: Patrick Beverley, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt, Karl-Anthony Towns
with best odds
Memphis Grizzlies – Will they grab a win in Minneapolis?
The Grizzlies were on the verge of a defeat in Game 5, but excellent performance in the final period brought them an important win. At one moment, they were 13 points down in the fourth quarter, but the hosts still managed to pull off a turnaround. Their confidence is sky-high currently, and Memphis wants to take advantage of that momentum. However, they need to improve their numbers to end this series in Minneapolis. The Grizzlies had a poor 41.5 field goal percentage, while just 25% of their three-pointer shots were successful. On the other hand, they dominated the paint and had fewer turnovers in Game 5.
Desmond Bane has been the most productive player for the Grizzlies in the post-season, with 23.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per match. Ja Morant has contributed with 22.4 pts, followed by a team-high 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals. He is also the team’s best assistant with 10.4. Brandon Clarke scores 16.4 points and has 8.6 rebs per contest, while Dillon Brooks produces 15.2 pts. On the other hand, Memphis will miss several players, including Steven Adams, Killian Tillie, and Santi Aldama, while Ziaire Williams is listed as questionable.
Expected Line-Up: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier Tillman
Expert Pick #1 – Under 229 @-110
Although these two teams have very talented offenses and we saw the Over cashing many times this season, the Under will be my first pick here. Five of their previous seven encounters stayed under the margin, and this game is very important for both teams. I don’t see more than 229 points in this match.
Expert Pick #2 – Memphis Grizzlies -1 @-110
The Timberwolves will be disappointed to drop a comfortable lead in Game 5, and the momentum is on the Grizzlies’ side. Although this is going to be a tight match, I believe the visitors will see off their opponents and proceed to the quarter-finals. I’ll back Memphis ATS as my second bet.
Expert Pick #3 – Minnesota Timberwolves Under 114.5 @-120
Consequently, I don’t expect Minnesota to score more than 114 points in this game. Despite being good in the offense in the last two matches, Memphis should tighten its defense and hold the hosts under a 114.5 margin. I’ll take this one as the third pick at slightly lower odds than the first two.
