Milwaukee Bucks vs Minnesota Timberwolves: Match Preview and Predictions - 4th November 2019
Match details
Fixture: Milwaukee Bucks vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Date & Time: Monday, 4th November, 2019 08:00 PM ET
Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Last game results
Milwaukee Bucks (4-2): 115-105 win against the Toronto Raptors (2nd November, Saturday)
Minnesota Timberwolves (4-1): 131-109 win against the Washington Wizards (2nd November, Saturday)
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks got off to a rough 2-2 start but with two consecutive wins, including their recent win against their conference rival Toronto Raptors. They will be high on confidence going into the start of their four-game road trip with a game in Minnesota against the T-Wolves.
While Giannis Antetokounmpo has been at his usual best, posting breathtaking stats, the same cannot be said about guard Eric Bledsoe, who has been struggling to shoot from the field. However, it is still too early to hit the panic button as we are still only in the second week of the regular season.
One major issue for the Bucks so far has been their ability to attack the rim and score. Malcolm Brogdon's departure has left a huge void, as the 26-year-old athletic guard is known for his ability to go past the defenders and finish strongly at the rim.
In the absence of Brogdon, there will be added pressure on Bledsoe as he is yet another guard who can create his own shot and score the basket. In the win against the Toronto Raptors last night, Bledsoe returned to form, scoring 14 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in 24 minutes of work.
Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo
After leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the Conference Finals in the 2018-19 NBA season and subsequently winning the NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year award, Giannis Antetokounmpo is back once again posting unreal numbers.
After six games, the forward is averaging 26.7 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game on a very impressive 58.8% shooting from the field. Even though the Bucks have not looked very comfortable as a team, Antetokounmpo has been flawless.
Take him off this team and they would not even be in the playoffs picture. That is how important the defending MVP is for this team as he carries the load on both ends of the floor for the entire four quarters.
Bucks predicted lineup
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Wesley Matthews, Eric Bledsoe
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
Who would have thought at the beginning of the season that after five games, the Minnesota Timberwolves would be sitting at the second spot in Western Conference standings? Led by Karl-Anthony Towns, the T-Wolves are a better defensive team this year as they are using new defensive scheme of things.
Towns is dropping deep on most pick-and-rolls this year and this means the attacker needs to beat the center who is well in his position to block the shot. Towns is leading the team in points (27.2), rebounds (11.5), steals (2.5) and blocks (1.8) per game. He has never looked this comfortable and is making an early strong case for Defensive Player of the Year.
Their upcoming schedule looks great and gives them a chance to stay firm at the top half of the standings. After getting suspended for two games, thanks to his fight with Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Towns will miss the game against the Bucks.
Key Player - Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins was supposed to be the next big thing in the NBA and it is safe to say that at this point in his career, he remains underachieved. Coming into the NBA as the first overall pick, Wiggins won the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2015 after averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
However, he has not been able to become the leader of the team, which is contrary to what most people had expected. His stats are also not eye-catching and the T-Wolves have not been getting the amount of productivity they would expect from a player that takes the large portion of their salary cap.
However, we may be in for a surprise as Wiggins has been playing like a different player this season. While he is still struggling to shoot from beyond the arc, he is attacking the rim and finishing more frequently. Against the Wizards last night on the road, Wiggins scored 21 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the T-Wolves home.
T-Wolves predicted lineup
Robert Covington, Treveon Graham, Gorgui Dieng, Jeff Teague, Andrew Wiggins
Bucks vs Timberwolves match prediction
The Bucks will be playing a Towns-less Timberwolves team that defeated the Wizards by 22 points on the road. The Wizards are one of the worst teams in the league right now, as they are without their All-Star guard John Wall and a win against such a hapless team will not help the Timberwolves gain a lot of confidence.
The Bucks are also coming off a win but it was against the strong Toronto Raptors, and will be high on confidence. They are also a better team compared to the T-Wolves in the absence of Towns and expect Antetokounmpo to feast on the road and will them to victory.
Where to watch Bucks vs Timberwolves?
The game will not be broadcast on national television. However, you can catch local coverage of the same on Fox Sports Wisconsin. Additionally, you can also live stream the game via NBA League Pass.