The Washington Wizards and Minnesota Timberwolves will take the court Thursday at Target Center. Tip-off from Minneapolis, MN, is at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Timberwolves are three-point spread favorites and the game total is 235.5 points.
Washington, 27-30 SU and 27-27-3 ATS, defeated Portland 126-101 on Tuesday. The Wizards are 3-2 straight-up in their past five and 4.5 games out of first place in the Southeast division.
Minnesota, 31-29 SU and 29-31 ATS, defeated Dallas 124-121 on Monday. The T-Wolves are 3-2 straight-up in their past five and ten games out of first place in the Northwest division. Center Rudy Gobert (13.2 PPG and 11.4 RPG) is questionable to play Thursday with a groin injury, forward Kyle Anderson (8.4 PPG) is questionable with a back injury, and forward Karl-Anthony Towns (20.8 PPG and 8.2 RPG) is out indefinitely with a calf injury.
Washington defeated Minn esota 142-127 on Nov. 28. The Wizards shot 57.1 percent and 15-for-31 (48.4%) from three. They also scored 62 points in the paint. Minnesota never led in the ballgame.
The Wiz beat the Blazers by 25 points on the road last game, as Kyle Kuzma made his triumphant return from an ankle sprain to score 33 points on 55 percent shooting with six threes. Kristaps Porzingis added 28 points and 12 rebounds for Washington.
Portland was playing without Jerami Grant and Jusuf Nurkic, and Anfernee Simons left the game in the third with an ankle sprain. Still, it was another win for a Washington team trying its best to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Winners of three of its past four, Washington is in tenth place in the EC standings.
?? @kylekuzma in last night's dub:
33 PTS
9 REB
6 3PT
2 AST
1 BLK pic.twitter.com/qvH6rBtb7F— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 15, 2023
Washington averages 113.6 points per game (18th) and shoots 48.5 percent overall (7th) with a 35.8 shooting percentage from deep (16th). The Wizards convert 78.5 percent of their foul shots (15th) and average 43.9 rebounds (12th) with a +1.1 rebounding margin. They are 12th in offensive rating and 12th in effective field goal percentage (55.1%), per Dunks and Threes.
The Wizards surrender 113.5 points per game on defense (16th), and their opponents shoot 46.5 percent overall (6th), including 35.9 percent from long range (14th). Washington is 6th in opponent shooting efficiency (53.1 opponent eFG%), 13th in assist-per-turnover ratio, and 19th in defensive rating.
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