7:00 p.m., FedExForum
Where to Watch: Fox Sports North
Where to Listen: 830 WCCO
The Minnesota Timberwolves will continue their road trip in Memphis tonight as they take on the 39-28 Grizzlies.
The matchup later this evening will mark the Timberwolves’ third of four games on the road. Minnesota catches the Grizzlies on a two-game skid and will look to capitalize on David Joerger’s injury plagued team.
Before tuning in for the game tonight, be sure to keep these interesting tidbits in mind:
Coming Off Of…
Minnesota lost a very close game on Monday night as they lost to the Phoenix Suns 107-104. Up 10 at halftime, the Timberwolves allowed the Suns to claw back and Mirza Teletovic hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in the ballgame. Zach LaVine shot extremely well and finished the game with 28 points, and Ricky Rubio had another nice showing with 13 points and 17 assists.
Memphis, as previously mentioned, wants to forget about their last game against the Houston Rockets. The Grizzlies took the game off and suffered a 130-81 dismantling. Jarell Martin had 17 points and eight boards, Alex Stepheson put in 12 points and gathered 15 rebounds, and Matt Barnes contributed with 14 points.
Last Matchup:
Minnesota and Memphis last battled it out nearly a month ago on Feb. 19 and it was Memphis who came out on top, 109-104. Mike Conley (now injured) had himself a night with 25 points, seven assists and two steals. Zach Randolph added 17 points and eight boards while Vince Carter contributed nicely off of the bench with 15 points.
The Timberwolves struggled all night shooting, only putting in 41.3 percent of their shots. Minnesota did, however, make 11 of their uncharacteristic 26 3-point attempts. Karl-Anthony Towns had 11 points and 15 rebounds, LaVine tossed in 22 points to go along with Andrew Wiggins’ 20.
Key Matchup: Andrew Wiggins vs. Matt Barnes
Yes, this is for real. Due to the injury bug consuming a lot of Memphis’s roster, Barnes has taken the reigns and has played well as of late. Averaging 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and four assists in his last five games, including a triple-double last Friday, the 36-year-old vet is playing some solid basketball as of late.
Wiggins has also been exhibiting his skills in the month of March and is averaging 23.2 points, four rebounds and two steals, while making 55.3 percent of his shots in his last five games. Wiggins will need to keep Barnes at bay, as Memphis doesn’t have many more scorers on their active roster.
Injuries:
Grizzlies: Jordan Adams (knee), Marc Gasol (foot), Brandon Wright (knee), Chris Anderson (shoulder), Mike Conley (foot), Zach Randolph (knee) and P.J. Hairston (groin) are all out. Lance Stephenson (wrist) and Vince Carter (calf) are questionable.
Wolves: Nikola Pekovic (foot) and Kevin Garnett (knee) are both out.
Projected Starters:
Memphis: PG- Briante Weber, SG- Tony Allen, SF- Barnes, PF- JaMychal Green, C- Ryan Hollins
Minnesota: PG- Rubio, SG- LaVine, SF- Wiggins, PF- Dieng, C- Towns
