Memphis @ Minnesota preview
Target Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 28, 2024 ) Memphis 101, Minnesota 110
The Minnesota Timberwolves have endured a streaky first half of the season.
Take the past 12 games, for example. That span has included a three-game losing streak, a three-game winning streak, another three-game losing streak and yet another three-game winning streak.
Minnesota will try to break the back-and-forth cycle and make it four wins in a row when it tips off against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night in Minneapolis.
"I think we're due for a good winning streak right now," Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said. "We've had a tough schedule. I'm not making excuses obviously, but we played the best of the best, so there's going to be a little bit of that.
"But we're due for a winning streak. Hopefully that's the end of (the losing streaks)."
Memphis also has struggled to get into a winning rhythm. The Grizzlies are 6-6 over their past 12 games, and they have alternated losses and victories in their past three contests.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant returned from a shoulder injury in the team's most recent game against the Houston Rockets on Thursday. Morant finished with 27 points but shot only 9 of 22 from the field, and the Grizzlies fell short 119-115 on their home court to the Rockets.
Morant will try to take another step forward in his return from injury on Saturday. He said his shoulder did not impede his shot in his return, but it would take him a while to adjust back to game speed.
"I don't know," Morant said. "We've got to see game by game."
As Morant focuses on his shot, Desmond Bane said he and the rest of the Grizzlies also needed to prioritize taking care of the ball. Too many turnovers have dogged the team as of late, and Memphis entered Friday averaging the second-most turnovers per game in the league (17.4).
"I think it's just got to be an area of focus for us," Bane said, "just so we end up with more possessions and opportunities than (our) opponents."
Jaren Jackson Jr. leads Memphis with 22.6 points per game. Morant is next with 21.5 points to go along with a team-high 7.7 assists per game, and Bane ranks third with 16.7 points per contest.
The Timberwolves' top scorer is Anthony Edwards, who is averaging 25.7 points per game. Randle is scoring 19.6 points per game, and Naz Reid is averaging 12.8 points off the bench.
Edwards put together three straight games with 30-plus points before scoring 21 on 5-of-19 shooting in Minnesota's 104-89 win at the Orlando Magic on Thursday.
"I'm a player who loves to score the ball," Edwards said. "It's very challenging at times, but it's fun to figure out different ways to still be aggressive and still be myself. Watching more and more film is starting to make it a little more (of a) relief instead of stressing me out."
This is the first of three games between the Timberwolves and Grizzlies during the regular season. Following Saturday's game, they are scheduled to play each other twice in Memphis -- once on Jan. 20 and again on April 10.
--Field Level Media